A Hundred Ways to Live and Love
by TheGladElf
Summary: A series of drabbles, each one based off of a prompt from the 100MakorraThemes tumblr. Also known as, Margaret explores all her Makorra headcanons. Angst. Lots of angst, with a few sweet moments. But Makorra through and through, I promise. SPOILERS. So many spoilers. AU obviously.
1. Logbook

**Logbook**

"How do you have so much stuff?" Korra asked as she assembled her sixth cardboard box. With a sigh, she set it down on Mako's desk and eyed her next task. The bookshelf. All of those books weren't going to make it into the box on their own.

"It's not that bad, Korra," Mako called from the bedroom. That at least, she was pretty sure would be an easy task. It wasn't like Mako owned a lot of clothes.

"A few hours, you said. We've been at this for half the day and we're not done yet."

She probably shouldn't blame Mako too much for the delay, most of it had been due to all the stuff Bolin left behind when he joined Kuvira. If there was time, they would have waited until Bolin was in town to help pack, but Mako's lease finished at the end of the week and Bolin and Opal wouldn't be back in Republic City for two. It was up to Mako and Korra to get all of the boys stuff packed up and moved to the new apartment. The apartment that Korra would be sharing with Mako in just a few short weeks.

Korra grinned. Three more weeks and Mako would be hers permanently.

"It would go a lot faster if you didn't stop to complain every twenty minutes."

Rolling her eyes, Korra reached for the books on the middle shelf. She paused.

"Hey, City Boy," she called, "These aren't in any order are they?"

Mako appeared in the bedroom doorway. He tilted his head as he examined the bookshelf. "Not really," he said. "The ones on the bottom shelf are the books that I use for work. Put those in last, please."

"Got it, Team Captain" Korra said.

Mako gave an exasperated sigh as he disappeared back in the bedroom .

Korra started grabbing books and placing them in the box. Not much she would have been interested in. Mostly history or law, though she saw a couple of titles that spoke of Jinora's influence on his reading choices.

He had a whole shelf of books on past Avatars.

Korra couldn't say she was surprised. It was just so Mako.

Her fiancé was a fact gatherer. Of course, he'd dig up as much about her past lives as he could. She'd been pleasantly surprised to find that Mako's insight had drastically improved this time around. Maturity, she'd assumed. No doubt she was right about that, but she suspected this had just as much to do with his improved understanding of her job.

Carefully, she pulled these books off the shelf, trying not to get teary-eyed as she read the titles of the books. Maybe she should read some of these. Granted, she could get firsthand experience if she really wanted to, but it might be nice to get an outside perspective on the events she'd shaped.

Almost hidden between a book on Avatar Aang and the side of the bookshelf, Korra found a familiar little black book.

That was weird.

Not that he'd kept it. Mako saved all of his logbooks.

Korra could see them lined up neatly on next shelf, waiting for her to open a new box for them. Each one filled with his neat, but cramped handwriting. The first page of each he always left blank at first so he could create a sort of table of contents. On the spine of each one was also a small white sticker with two printed dates.

But why was this one here? It wasn't like Mako to put things out of order.

This one wasn't completely full yet. Nearly half of the pages still lay flat and crisp, waiting for writing and coffee stains to warp them. No dates adorned the spine of this book.

Something—a sliver of thicker paper—stuck up from between two of the pages.

Gently, Korra open the book and pulled out the small rectangle.

Korra didn't need to turn it over. The free-spirited handwriting on the back, her own handwriting, told her what it was.

_I love you, Korra._

She flipped it over anyways, staring down at the smiling faces. Them. Four years younger and far more innocent. So very different. And yet, in some ways still the same.

No, not the same. She thought she knew what love was then. She'd been right to some extent, but they'd only scratched the surface of that iceberg. Four years—No, the last year alone had taught her so much that she wished she'd known back then. Things might have been different.

Korra smiled, she couldn't really regret the choices they had made though. After all, things had turned out pretty well.

Korra was about to call out and tease Mako about the photo when she looked back down at the little book. Curious, she turned to the first page. A handful of dates and titles (ridiculous titles, she remembered helping Mako come up with the silly names for those cases) had been scratched out. Underneath them he'd written one word.

"Korra".

Not "the Avatar". Or "Avatar Korra". Just her name.

Korra placed the photo on the desk, flipping through the pages of the logbook. All the dates were around the time that they'd dated before, but mixed in with his notes were whole paragraphs about her. The fight with the Equalists. Tarrlok kidnapping her. Moments from some of their matches. The fight with her uncle.

There was a brief period, the two weeks after Harmonic Convergence when they had barely spoken, where the pages were strictly filled with case notes.

The notes changed a little during their trip through the Earth Kingdom. She found her name frequently again, but not like before. What he wrote during their search for the new airbenders was so formal and stilted that Korra would have laughed if she'd hadn't been fighting tears.

All those years ago, during the whole time they dated, Mako had never let her see inside his logbook. She'd hadn't thought much of it then—she assumed it was just boring police notes. Now she understood why. The Mako of four years ago would have been mortified to have his feelings laid out so plainly.

The writing changed one more time.

Paragraphs and paragraphs that she didn't have to read all to know what they said. She just had to look at a few pages to know that they were about her. Everything he remembered about her. Everything he knew. Everything he felt.

_"I wish there was something I could do something. I hate seeing her in so much pain. Korra tries to hide it, but I can see it. I think we all can. Su may hove gotten rid of the poison, but it's still affecting her. And there's nothing I can do, even if she would let me. I hate feeling so powerless."_ An angry scratch made the next few lines illegible. _"How selfish is that? I can't even imagine how Korra must feel, stuck in that chair. She hates it. I know she does. She hates anything that makes her feel weak. I wish I could tell her that she's still the strongest person I know. I'm not sure it would help, she'd probably just ignore me. Or yell at me. I wish she'd yell at me...I hope Katara can help her. She'll listen to Katara."_

The entries are sporadic after her departure to the South Pole. Mostly details of conversations and events during the trouble with Amon or the six months they'd been together. A few notes about things he wants to put in his letters. He'd written down all of his memories about her, like he was afraid of forgetting them. The last entry was dated just over a year after she'd been kidnapped by the Red Lotus.

_"The nightmares are back. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, considering. I don't think I've ever been so scared. I wonder, should I tell her? She probably has worse nightmares than I do. Maybe she'd like to know that someone understands. No, that's probably stupid. She has her parents and Katara. They'll be more help than I can." _

Korra remembered the letter Mako had written the week of that anniversary, it had been uncharacteristically serious and shorter than normal. She'd almost written him back to ask if anything was wrong, but neither Bolin or Asami's letters had hinted at any kind of trouble, so she discarded the idea. Besides, she'd had her own issues at the time.

The nightmares had been bad for her that week too. Worse than normal. She wished she'd known then, (she did now, of course) maybe she would have had the courage to write him. Share the burden a little.

Like they did now.

"Should I be worried that you're so quiet?" Mako asked behind her

Korra jumped, slapping the logbook shut like a teen caught with a trashy novel. Sometimes she hated how quiet Mako could be—especially since he was so oblivious about it.

"No," she said, turning. "Look what I found." Korra held up the photo.

Mako took it from her, a grin breaking out on his face. "I thought I'd lost this ages ago. Where did you find it?"

"In this." She held up the logbook.

Mako's eyes widened. Obviously, he'd forgotten about that or he never would have let Korra be in charge of the bookshelf.

"You wrote about me." She tapped the book with one finger.

"Um, yeah," he said, ducking his head. Hand still on his neck, he glanced at her. "Do you mind?"

Holding the logbook out with a smile, Korra said, "I think you should keep writing."

Mako's fingers folded over hers as he took it from her. "You do?"

"Yes," she said, sliding her arms around his waist. She had to crane her neck to meet his eyes. "People should know who I am. Write it all down."

The hard edges of the book pressed into her lower back as Mako pulled her close and kissed her.

"That's going to be an awful lot to fit in this little book," he said a moment later.

"Guess you'll need to get a few more of those then."

Mako brought his hand to her cheek. "I'd better need a lot more of these."

"That's the plan." Korra rose onto her toes, kissing him again.


	2. Reunion

**Reunion**

Korra wasn't surprised to find him waiting for her when the time came.

"Aang," Korra said.

"Korra," her past self said, gesturing to spot across from him. He smiled. Their connection had always been the strongest. Not just because he was the Avatar right before her. Of course, that in itself would have been enough. She and Aang were linked by something stronger though, Katara. They had both loved her, though in different ways. "It won't be long now," Aang said, pouring her a cup of tea. "And I should warn you, it won't be pleasant."

Crossing her legs to sit, Korra nodded. Dying was rarely pleasant in her experience. Though this was her first time witnessing it firsthand.

"What will happen to me?" she asked.

Raava, she knew, would move on. Bringing all the experience that could be gained from ten thousand years of living to the new Avatar. But Korra knew too well that she and Raava were also separate beings. With no body to tether her spirit, would she cease to exist once Raava left her?

Aang watched her. "You'll go to the Spirit World," he said. "Like everyone who dies."

Korra sighed. She'd hoped that was it. Truly, that idea was all that kept her going some days. She took a sip of her tea, the warmth of the cup soothing against her weathered palms.

Then she asked the question that had been on the tip of her tongue since she'd seen Aang, "Did she find you?"

He smiled again and this time it was blinding. "Yes."

"Good," she said, taking a sip of her tea.

Pain tore through Korra's being. A thousand anchors ripping away as her soul split. Korra dropped the cup, spilling tea over the table. Wrapping her arms around herself, she cried out. Not this. Korra knew this. She'd felt it before, as a much younger woman.

As quickly as it came, it ended. Raava was gone and Korra was just Korra.

She felt raw. And light. And younger.

A gentle hand rested on her shoulder. "It's over now," he said. "You're free."

Korra got to her feet, marveling that her bones no longer creaked. The pain, the aching emptiness she remembered from the last time was still there, but it was fading. This was how it was supposed to be, she realized.

Korra ran her hands over her face, down her body, feeling returned muscles. She felt strong again. Neither young, nor old. Only here.

"Better?" Aang asked.

"So much better," she said. "Be glad you never had to get old and rickety. It was awful."

Aang looked away from her and Korra bit her lip. What a thing to say when she'd lived long enough to see her grandchildren. Long enough to grow old with her husband. Long enough to mourn him too.

Korra placed a hand on Aang's arm. "I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have said that."

Aang nodded. "I lived a good life. And now that Katara is here, I can't ask for more. Still, I wish she and I had grown old together—I hated causing her pain." He flashed her a crooked grin, stroking his beard. "I would have made a dapper old man."

They both laughed.

"Thank you," she said. "For being here."

"Of course," he said. "See you around Korra."

Aang faded and Korra found herself in a familiar, twisted forest. Discarding her parka—which promptly faded to nothing—she started trudging through the underbrush. She opened her hand out of habit, but remembered that she wouldn't be able to bend. She hadn't come through one of the portals. Plus, she was dead now.

Time passed—or at least it felt like it passed, you never could tell in this place. Her surroundings began to lighten; ahead of her she could see vibrant green through the trees. There. She just need to get there.

She was there.

The meadow was just like she remembered, bright as the sun and vast as an ocean. How was she supposed to find anyone in this place? It could take her a thousand years just to search one corner.

An idea came to her. Korra closed her eyes, letting her spirit reach out. It was easier now that there was not body to tether her to the physical world. Energy pulsed and hummed through her, seeking. The tense chord finally struck another, a familiar harmony vibrating through her being.

Korra sighed. Then she reached for the other chord. She felt the world around her blur.

When she opened her eyes, there he was, surprise fading from amber eyes, a lopsided grin on his face.

Three years. She'd waited three years for this moment. It had been worth it.

Mako opened his arms. He only got to take a single step before Korra rushed forward, flinging her arms around his neck. They spun once, twice, three times. Her feet hit the ground again as he curled around her, holding her so close, she thought they very well might become one person.

"Korra," he said, his lips brushing against her ear. "I missed you." He kissed her jaw. Her cheek. Her nose. Her eyelids before finally bringing his mouth to hers.

She tried several times before she stopped kissing him long enough to speak. "I missed you too. So much."

Mako smiled. "Don't worry. I don't plan on leaving you again."

"Never again," she affirmed. She felt complete in a way she hadn't in so long. More complete even, never before had she been so aware of how their spirits resonated with one another, twisting together, complimenting each other.

"You're going to love this place, Korra," Mako said. "The things I could show you."

Fingers curling in his hair, she brought his mouth back down to hers, shivering as his hands brushed over her body, pulling her as close they'd ever been.

"Tomorrow," she whispered.

"Yeah. Tomorrow."

* * *

><p><strong>As you can probably already tell, these drabbles are going to be very time fluid. Some of them will happen after the series, some during, maybe even some before. Basically, I'm just using this list as an excuse to exploredevelop some Makorra headcanons. Might even throw in a few AUs...dunno. Gonna try and explore some different formats too...maybe. **

**And I know I'm a little iffy on the whole Spirit World thing. I'm also probably using a lot of artistic license. I got the feeling from LoK that not everyone who dies goes there, but as you can tell if you've read my fic _The Avatar's Bargain_ (which I totally need to adjust so that it fits airbaby canon), I like the idea of Korra and Mako getting to have an endless life of adventures once their done muddling through the physical world. I also liked the idea that Korra is more than just Raava (as established in Book 2), so I imagine that while Raava takes all of Korra's memories and experiences with her to the next Avatar, a part of Korra gets to move on, freed from the Avatar cycle. Cause we all know the Avatar deserves that.**

**Hope you enjoy. Reviews make my heart sing. Angsty reviews give me the power of a thousand suns.**


	3. I Don't Care If You're the Avatar or Not

Cold air bit through Mako's meager jacket. Why did the South Pole have to be so damn cold? Still, he didn't move to go inside. Not even after Tenzin retreated into the warm lodge. He stood, watching as the dot that was Korra and Naga grew smaller, until it was too small for him to see.

"_I don't care if you're the Avatar or not."_

What a stupid, stupid thing for him to say.

In the moment, it had felt right. It was the truth after all. Now though, he could kick himself. Did she think he was trying to say that being the Avatar wasn't important? Probably. The longer he thought about those words and thought about how Korra must be feeling right now, the worse they sounded to him.

Being the Avatar was important to Korra. Amon took more than just her bending.

She must feel like her entire identity had been stripped away.

"_I love you."_

What had he expected? That pouring his heart out would magically fix all of her pain?

How incredibly selfish was that?

He should just quit now. Leave her alone like she wanted. Mako obviously was not cut out to be of any use to Korra. He couldn't even get his own mind of himself to offer comfort.

Slow, heavy footsteps came up behind him. "It's never easy," the old woman said. "Being in love with the Avatar."

Mako blinked. "I'm not—" He stopped. Well, that was ridiculous. Five minutes ago he'd just confessed his feelings to Korra, why deny it now?

"Of course you are," Katara said. "Your eyes haven't left her since you got here."

Sighing, Mako nodded. "I just wish there was something I could do to fix this."

Katara chuckled. Suddenly it struck Mako that he was having a conversation with Katara—_Katara_. One of the members of the original team Avatar. The very person who removed Avatar Aang from the iceberg. The woman who married the Avatar. Tenzin's _mother_. Meeting Korra had been crazy, but this? This was surreal.

"You can't, I'm afraid," she said. "Being the Avatar, the pressure that is on her shoulders—those are things that people like you and I will never understand. I should know. Even as long as Aang and I were together, there were still things that went on in his head that I never understood." She sighed. "It made it very hard at times—and Aang was one of the most even-tempered people I knew. With Korra, I can only imagine…" She chuckled.

Wind gusted through the compound, sending a shiver through Mako's body. It didn't appear to affect the older water tribe healer though. Katara stood, her eyes watching the horizon, where Korra had disappeared. "What did you do?" Mako asked.

"Oh, I let him go off and brood. The time alone seemed to help him," she said. "So I let him his space."

"Oh," Mako said. "Okay."

"For a little while at least. Then I'd go after him," she said, glancing at Mako. "To make sure he knew he wasn't alone." She gave him a kind smile and turned for the house again.

Mako knew he should probably go after her. Nothing he owned would stand up very well to the weather here. How had Korra grown up here without freezing to death? Waiting inside would be the best. After all, he'd already told Korra that he was there for her. She'd rejected him. If he went after her now, surely she'd have the same reaction.

But he couldn't. Not after what Katara had said. Not with the way Korra had spoken. Like she expected him to just give up.

One more try. On the off chance that she wanted him to go after her.

Then he would back off.

For now at least. Because he'd meant what he said. Whether Korra was the Avatar or not, he loved her. If that was too much to deal with now, maybe he'd try again when she'd had some time to grieve. He'd take that ferry when he came to it.

For now, however, Mako just wrapped his arms around himself and trudged towards the horizon, following the tracks left by Naga's big, loping stride.

* * *

><p><strong>Been wanting to do this one for a while. Because you know all of us Makorras wanta heart-to-heart between Mako and Katara. I don't think it's going to happen, not with what they have to work with time-wise. Sadly, I think we've seem the last of Katara. We might get a small glimpse of her at the very, very end, but I'm not one hundred percent sure about that. <strong>

**But we can always hope, right?**


	4. Holding Hands

She held his hand for the first time right after their second kiss. When they'd pulled apart, her hand slid into his and she shivered at how right it felt. Leaning together, they ambled back to the White Lotus complex, talking in hushed voices even though there was no one but Naga to hear them.

Their slow pace had driven the polar bear dog crazy. Korra remembered laughing as Naga raced ahead and back to them several times, trying to convince them to speed up. Korra didn't mind the pace and Mako seemed to be enjoying the walk, even if he did look a little cold. She didn't let go of his hand until Katara's healing house came into sight, a short, blue-clad figure visible in the doorway. Korra let go of his hand then, shouting, "Race you!" Laughing, Mako followed her as Naga let out a happy bark.

Korra lost track of the number of times they held hands during the six months they dated. It was like their palms were magnetic. His fingers fit between hers so perfectly. The one time that stood out most was when he'd come up to her with sad eyes and taken her hand.

"We need to talk," he said.

Even then, she didn't want to let go of his hand. Not as they talked. Not when she kissed him. Not when they both knew it was over. As she walked away, she felt his fingers slide through hers. Korra thought it felt like she was losing a part of herself.

That was what she found herself missing after their break-up. The simple physical contact. During the journey, she wanted to reach out so badly, but she feared to break the tenuous thread that was their friendship. So she held herself back until it was almost too late.

Looking back, she wished she hadn't. But that was in the past. Korra learned quickly not to dwell on the past, even when her present battles grew more painful than the past ones. Fighting oneself was harder than facing down even the most powerful bender. You couldn't escape yourself.

The next time she reached for Mako's hand, she was the one to say, "We need to talk."

The words came first, of course. Mako eyed her warily as she tried to break the news to him in the gentlest, most hopeful way she could. After all, Bolin wasn't dead, just captured. They could—no they would get him back. She had to. For Bolin's sake and for Mako's.

He took the news like a physical blow. Blamed himself first. Blamed Kuvira next. Even blamed Prince Wu. Finally he stopped, hands falling to his sides as he looked at her with lost eyes. Reaching for his hand was automatic. Korra didn't think about it.

She grabbed his hand and said, "We'll get him back." For a moment, Mako tensed and Korra wanted to take it back, knowing she'd crossed some invisible boundary. She'd been gone for three years after all. Then Mako sighed and squeezed her hand.

"Thank you," he said.

After that, Korra supposed the rest should have been obvious. Holding hands became second nature again, even as they struggled to redefine their relationship. Such a simple gesture, but it communicated so much strength. They'd both needed the other's strength often in those days.

Though it wasn't always about comfort. Sometimes, it was simply because it was what they wanted. All the memorable days in her life, Mako was there. Holding her hand.

There was the day that he took her hand and pulled her behind a tree, away from the unrelenting gaze of her statue. Seriously, that chick needed a spa day with Asami. His fingers twined with hers, he fished a Water Tribe necklace out of his pocket and asked if he could be her forever boy. Of course, Korra said yes.

There was the moment after they said "I do", when Korra had grabbed his hand and hoisted it over their heads, just like they used to after a successful match. She hadn't thought Mako's grin could get any wider that day, but he'd laughed and pulled her in for another kiss, eliciting catcalls from the audience. Bolin was the loudest. Naturally

There was the morning after their wedding night, when she'd woken with his arm draped across her waist, their fingers tangled together almost as thoroughly as their bodies.

There was the birth of their first child, when she'd nearly crushed his hand. Or so he claimed long after the fact. That hadn't stopped him from offering it willingly when it came time to deliver their son or the twins.

There were the sad times. Clinging to him like a lifeline as she lost first her oldest mentor and, eventually, both her parents. She held his hand too, when he lost the grandmother he'd known for far too short a time and the uncle he knew barely longer.

There was their oldest daughter's wedding, when she'd grabbed his hand and claimed her own dance with him. He was still teary from the dance he'd just shared with their daughter. She knew how he felt, she felt the same way, but that didn't stop her from teasingly reminding him that they still had a son and two daughters to give away.

And there was the last time.

The night she woke to the stillest silence she'd ever known. She registered the silence in his chest first. Then the coolness of his fingers in hers. In her free hand, she summoned a flame. His face was turned towards her, a content smile on his face. She'd heard people say that the dead sometimes looked like they were sleeping, but one look at her husband and Korra knew. He was gone. Curling up against him, she'd wept as his body heat seeped from him to her. The healer in her knew that it was just his time. They were old. A small part of her was glad there had been no pain. But most of her just missed him already.

At the funeral, her daughter took her hand, crying into her mother's shoulder before retreating to the embrace of her own husband.

It was ironic, Korra thought.

The time that she most needed his hand to hold was the one time his was the only hand she could never hold again.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm sorry. I'm SO sorry. I don't even know where those last three paragraphs came from, this was supposed to be cute and sweet and then BAM! Tearbending. Like, they are the most perfect things I will ever write, but that makes me so SAD. <strong>

**I'll write fluff for this challenge eventually, I don't know why it's all angst and tears and Mako dying. Why do I keep KILLING Mako? I don't know. I don't know. I love him, but I keep killing him.**

**Augh! I'm a horrible person!**


	5. Be Careful

Korra hadn't expected Mako to be so easy to find.

She'd expected to have to sneak into Prince Wu's room and convince Mako to talk with her.

Instead, he's wandering the airship just like she is.

She can tell when he realizes that it's her. His eyes widen, then they go hard, his mouth becoming a dark line in the dim light.

"You're leaving aren't you?" It's sound like a question, but there's a weariness there that tells her he already knows the answer.

Korra nods. "Kuvira needs to be stopped," she replies. "I can't sit back and do nothing. We need to figure out a way to expose her to the rest of the world."

"Makes sense," he says.

Nodding, he pushes past her. Korra grabs his shoulder, forcing him to face her again.

"That's it?"

"What's it?" Mako crosses his arms, looking down at her with blank eyes.

"That's all you have to say?"

Mako blinks. "What do you want me to do? Fight you? Talk you out of it? We both know you'll do it anyways."

"No, that's not—" Korra stops with a growl.

Why is he making this so difficult? Yes, what she came to ask him feels selfish. So selfish. But at the same time, she knows deep down that this is the best option. If she hadn't been one hundred percent sure of that, she never would have sought him out. She knows she isn't looking at this objectively; she wants it to be Mako. She wants to make up for the last time they were like this. To make up for the words she should have said last time. For three years of silence.

She wants to show him that she still trusts him.

"What then, Korra?" He says it so calmly. Like she could walk away and he wouldn't even notice she was gone. Korra had to remind herself that she had a pile of letters to prove that he hadn't done just that.

"I—"

"Because I have a job to do," he says, his voice like the edge of a dull knife. "I've got to get Wu out of here before things get too intense."

"That's what you think about? Him?"

"You have your job. I have mine." Mako turns to go again. Takes three steps. Stops. "Be...careful, Korra."

The words cut into her. She misses the old Mako. The one who was willing to tell her when her ideas were stupid or foolish or dangerous. The one that fought with her because he cared.

"Do you even care anymore?"

"What?"

Korra can't help but be slightly pleased at the way his voice cracks with the word. He whirls on her and his eyes make her gasp. They're on fire—not literally. She's getting to him.

"'Be careful?'" she sneers, hands on her hips.

"What else do you want me to say?"

"A goodbye would be nice, for a start—"

"Fine!" He's in her face now, glaring down at her—damn, he's tall and damn, it's hot. Everything is hot. The air between them is literally heating up. "Goodbye, have fun on your solo quest. Try not to almost get yourself killed this time."

Korra throws hers hands in the air. "Spirits, when did you become such a drama queen, Mako?"

"Drama queen?"

"You're as bad as Wu."

"Do not compare me to him..." Mako says. His hands clench and he takes a step back. He takes a deep breath and the temperature goes down just a little.

Korra smirks. "Did I hit a nerve, City Boy?" She's hit several, she can tell. She can still push his buttons. Her pleasure is quickly replaced by guilt as she glares up at him. Thiis is not why she came looking for him. "Mako, wait—"

"Do you think this is easy? Do you think it's easy to say goodbye to you over and over again?" He gestures violently with one hand and she can feel the air crackling. He doesn't even seem to notice when Korra grabs his hand.

"Mako, stop! That's not why I was looking for you..."

He rushes on. "I can't do it again, Korra."

"I'm not here to say good-bye. I want you to come with me," she has to raise her voice, because at the same time he's shouting,

"The last time you went off alone you almost died. I almost watched you die."

They both freeze. He's panting, his hands shaking. Korra can't breathe.

He hadn't—He'd never acted like he thought about that. Ever since she came back, he'd been focused on Prince Wu and on Bolin. They hadn't talked about what happened with Zaheer.

Mako blinks. "You want me—"

Korra surges forward, grabbing his face and pulling him down to her level. Like she wanted to do the first time she saw him again. For a long moment, the kiss is one-sided. She's taken him off-guard, unbalancing him. They stumble and she ends up pinned between him and the wall. And then his hands are on her waist, lifting her so they are even. The buttons on his coat dig into her skin, the thin material not much of a barrier against hard metal.

Gasping for air, she pushes him away. "I need back," she says. "I'm tired of being alone."

"And you want it to be me?"

The way he looks at her in that moment—she knows she's made the right choice. Yes, maybe it was selfish to ask him to come with her. To ask him to stand with her, instead of in front of her. But she knows there is no place he'd rather be. He is her oldest teammate, after all.

"Yes."

Mako sighs, leaning his forehead against the wall, his breath tickling over her collarbone. "Korra…I want to, but… Beifong wants me to stay with Wu."

"Back up," she says.

"What?"

"Back up, I can't get into my pocket."

Hesitantly, Mako backs up and she slides to the ground. His hands linger at her waist though.

"I trump, Beifong, you know that right?" she says.

"But-"

"She's here at my request and the request of the council," Korra says, fishing the small piece of wood out of her pocket. She opens her hand so he can see the tile with its white flower. "Plus there's this."

Mako's eyes widen. "I—Korra—"

"This is yours," she says. "If you want it. You can still work for the police, if you want, when the world isn't ending."

"And when it is?" Mako asked.

"When I need you, I get top priority," she said. Her heart pounds so loudly in her chest, she can hear it. "I mean, if you wanted to. I wouldn't force you to come with me or anything."

Mako took the tile from her. "When have you ever had to force me to come with you."

"Do you want me to answer that question?"

Mako blushed and looked away. "Technically, you came with me that time."

"Same difference," she said. Smiling up at him. "I know i can count on you, Mako. This just makes it official. If things get quiet, I can always loan you back to Beifong so you have something to do."

Mako looked at the tile in his palm, then back at Korra. "But I go with you when you need me?"

"You go with me whenever you want to. The Avatar needs a bodyguard too," she says. "Although, we probably shouldn't abuse the privilege. I don't hate Lin."

"Okay," he says. "I accept."

"Good, we're leaving now."

"But—"

"Your replacement is already at his station." Slipping away from him, she heads in the opposite direction. "Hope you're okay with the glider, 'cause that's how we're getting down."

"If it means we stay together, I'm okay with a paper bag," he says, catching up in two strides.

###

In the end, they weren't able to stay together.

If it had just been a matter of saving the world, she didn't think he would have left her to face Kuvira alone. But they hadn't expected to find both Kuvira so close to Bolin's reeducation camp. What good was saving the world if they couldn't save the people they cared about?

"I'll be fine," she says.

"Korra..."

"No, there are more people in there than just Bolin. Kuvira will be distracted."

She has feeling that free the dissenters in that camp will drastically even their odds. Especially if it's full of benders as powerful as Bolin.

Mako nodded. "Be careful." When he says it this time, the words sound different. There's an entire world of feelings contained in just two words.

Leaning forward, she presses her lips gently to his. "I'm coming back," she says. "Avatar's promise."

"I'm holding you to that."

###

When it's all over, she finds Bolin first. Opal flits around him—she's such an airbender now—drawing Korra's eyes to where they stand instantly. His eyes light up when he sees her.

"Korra!" He tries to wave, then winces, clasping his arm to his side. He's covered in dirt from head to toe, his uniform ragged.

Gently, she hugs him. "I'll take care of that in a minute," Korra says. "Where's your brother?"

Bolin brow creases. "We got separated."

Korra takes a deep breath. Panic shouldn't be her first reaction, but she's seen too many bodies in the last few minutes. Turning, she scans their camp, her eyes finding every tall figure. None of them are Mako.

"I thought he'd be with you," Bolin says.

"I've been a little busy," she replies, fighting the sick feeling in her gut. "I'm sure he's here somewhere, Bolin."

"I'll go," Opal says. "Maybe Mom or Aunt Lin have seen him."

Quietly, Korra helps Bolin with his arm. It's dislocated. Bolin grits his teeth as she pops the joint back into place. A little water and he isn't in pain anymore, even if it'll be a few hours before he can use the arm.

Opal returns, shaking her head. "They haven't seen him. He's not in the camp, Mom can sense that much, but it's too—jumbled out there." She waves her hand towards to the battlefield.

Feeling cold all over, Korra nods. "Then we do this the old-fashioned way. Get the airbender kids and Asami. That'll have to be enough. We'll find him, Bo. I'm sure he's okay."

He had to be okay.

It's dark when they finally stop searching. They've found a score of wounded men and women and even more dead, but no Mako. With every passing hour, Korra grows more nervous. If he's out there—If he's hurt, then minutes could mean the difference between survival and—and death.

But Bolin's exhausted and so are the kids and they won't stop searching if she doesn't make them. So she makes them. They head back to camp, which is far more organized now.

Korra accepts the food she's given, planning to sneak back out as soon as Bolin is distracted. She'll search all night if she has to. The food tastes like sawdust, but she's managed a few bites when a cry comes up from the sentries.

Instantly, Korra is on alert. Leaving Bolin with his mouth half full, she races for the edge of camp facing the mountains.

"What is it?" she asks.

"There are people out there," one woman says.

It's hard to see into the darkness of the forest. Several moments pass before she catches a glimpse of flickering flame. It winks out again briefly, before reappearing, this time a little closer.

"I think it's just one person," she says.

"A straggler?" the other sentry asks.

"Probably," she says. "I doubt they'll cause trouble."

She wants to turn her back; this is the perfect opportunity to sneak off. Bolin will assume she's dealing with whatever problem pulled her away. But what if they're hurt? Can she really go off in search of her—of Mako, who might be perfectly fine if this person needs immediate attention.

"Send for a healer," she says, just in case. She'll stay until the other healer gets here. That's a decent compromise.

Also, just in case, she coaxes the fires to burn a little brighter. If this is a trap, she wants to see it coming.

When the lone figure steps out of the trees, he or she is still far enough away that the firelight only dimly highlights their silhouette. Tall. Skinny.

"Halt," the female sentry calls.

He's already stopped. The flame in his palm goes out as his hand drops to his side. The broad shoulders sag and Korra doesn't need to see his face to know who it is.

"Mako!"

She sprints forward at the same time that he does. The crash together, driving the air from Korra's lungs. She doesn't care. She buries her face against his chest as she inhales. Not minding that he smells of soot and blood and sweat. He cradles her head with one hand, digging into her scalp slightly, the other wraps around her torso, holding her tightly to him. She's curled around him, she realizes. Arms around his neck, legs locked around his waist.

"Are you okay?" he whispers.

"Me?" she asks, incredulous. "Are you okay? You've been missing for half the day."

"Yeah," he says. "Long story."

She doesn't want to let him go just yet, but she does anyway. She wants good light more. She doesn't trust his words, not in this. Korra needs to see with her own eyes that he is unhurt. Keeping one arm around him, she pulls him towards the camp.

Bolin watches with raised eyebrows.

"It would seem I missed a lot during my incarceration."

"Took them long enough," Asami mutters.

* * *

><p><strong>I know. I know. It's vague and weird. It kind of developed as I wrote it. And no, I haven't seen today's ep yet. But I don't really think this will be affected by it (unless of course, Bolin has escaped already) so here you go.<strong>


	6. Sacrifice: Giving Up Pt 1

It's not the fact that she's nearly died for the fifth time since they got married that breaks her.

Korra always knew that the universe had it out for her. She is the Avatar. She's used to the idea that people are going to want her dead. Most of the time she's pretty good at avoiding it. But this last year, everyone seems extra determined to make sure she's not alive to see their first anniversary.

So when Korra wakes up to smell of antiseptic and the beep of hospital machines, she's not surprised.

Her eyes don't want to open. Her head is fuzzy. She knows she's been hurt, but she can't remember any details.

Also, she can't place the strange noise emanating from one side of her hospital bed. Eyes still reluctant to open, she focuses, trying to decide if the sound is a threat or some new-fangled machine. Is she hurt more than she feels?

The noise sharpens, smoothing into the sound of quiet sobs.

That is what breaks her. Korra knows it isn't right keep doing this to him.

A soft voice enters her consciousness. A woman. She's saying something, but the words are garbled. Their meanings flit through her mind before she can grasp them. Mako's reply is lost to her as well.

She feels heavy and the sounds fade out.

Korra doesn't know how much later it is when she fades in again. This time her eyes can open, even if they're somewhat sluggish. A bright sliver of light pierces through her vision and Korra tries to raise her hand to block the light.

No not that hand, that whole side is sore.

Before she can lift the other hand, the light disappears and Korra realizes that it's Mako peeking out the window.

"Hey," he says.

"Hey." Her voice is scratchy and thin.

"How do you feel?" He walks all the way around the hospital bed, sitting on the side that hurts less.

"My head is fuzzy," she says. "How bad was it?"

He pulls her hand into his lap. "Bad enough the healers kept you under for the last week. Broken ribs. Fractured skull." Mako reaches out, tracing a line that matches the throbbing in her head without touching her. "We weren't sure you were going to make it." Lifting her hand to his cheek—it's rough with stubble—he leans into her touch. "How much do you remember?"

"I'm Korra. You're Mako. We're married, I think."

Mako chuckles. "I'm being serious, Korra."

She closes her eyes, the concussion smothers the memories like a thick blanket, but she can see the general shape. "We're in the...Earth Kingdom?"

She feels him nod.

"And—nope, that's it. That's all I've got right now."

"It can wait," Mako says. "I'll fill in the details later."

The ribs and the fracture mend quickly, thanks to the healers. The concussion lingers, but by the end of her second week awake she's finally cleared to travel home. Mako hovers incessantly until they're back in their apartment.

After the third day home, Korra insists he go to work. She knows she's fine.

Mostly.

It's not the physical consequences that make getting out of bed a chore. Though she wishes it were, she would take any excuse to postpone what she knows she must do.

No, it's the deep knowledge of what she must do that leaves her dreading each new day.

It takes her longer than it should have to decide she's ready. At the same time, she knows this is going to hurt badly enough without making everyone worry. So she waits for the haunted look to fade a little from her husband's eyes. Thankfully, no else tries to kill her or tries to lead any uprisings, something that she's grateful for.

Finally, she knows it's time.

The first thing she does is call Asami.

Asami is happy to hear from her as always. They chat for a moment, Korra trying to sound normal the whole way through. Maybe Asami won't try to stop, but Korra isn't sure enough to put any money on it.

"I need to head to the South Pole for a little bit," she says. "Can I borrow one of the small yachts? There'll need to be room for Naga."

"Of course," Asami says. "How long will you need it for?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well, just return it when you and Mako are done. I'll have someone waiting for you at the docks."

It takes everything she has to say thank you without her voice cracking.

After that, she sits down and writes a few quick notes. One to Reiko, one to Beifong, one to Tenzin. All the same, making sure they know where she'll be and asking that they not contact her unless absolutely necessary. She tries to write one for Mako, but no words exist to say how sorry she is.

Packing is the hardest part. Watching as spaces appear in their closet and the dresser drawers. His clothes looking lonely now. There's not much. She and Mako never had been people to own more than they needed.

That only leaves one thing for her to do.

Carefully, she removes her necklace and wedding band. She strokes her thumb over the pendant one last time. Smiling sadly at the sun and moon engraved on it. They'd come up with that design together. Setting them on the table, she places a folded piece of paper next to them.

She can't tell him that she'll always love him this time. It will only make this harder for him to accept. Instead, she's written three very different words. "This isn't working."

Picking up her bags, Korra leaves.

There is such finality in the click of the spare key in the lock that her knees buckle. Gripping the door handle, she forces air into her lungs until she can breathe easily again. Until she can stand on her own again.

The rest of it is a blur. Picking up Naga goes by quickly. Tenzin seems surprised to find she's going to the South Pole, but he long ago stopped questioning her over small decisions. He too, assumes that Mako is going with her.

After that, she's in a hurry to get out of the City.

She wants to make good time before Mako returns home to find that she's gone. She knows she owes him more of an explanation. She knows that he'll worry. But she's hoping that by being callous, she'll make him so angry he won't want to come after her. She's not sure she'll have the strength to do the right thing if he does.

To her relief—and disappointment—there isn't an air bison riding teen or angry husband waiting for her when she arrives in the South Pole. No one is waiting for her when the boat cruises into the harbor. She sends the yacht back to where it came from and heads for her parent's house, everything she owns in a bag on her polar bear dog.

If only she'd just kept things this way when she came back. This wouldn't be killing her now.

Her mother is in the living room when she opens the door.

Senna rushes to Korra, her broom clattering to the floor. Her mother did always like to clean when she was nervous.

"Korra!" She hugs Korra tightly. "What were you thinking? You had everyone so worried. Mako's called half a dozen times."

Korra swallows. She can't talk.

"Korra, sweetie, what happened? Did you have a fight?" Her mother reaches out, smoothing a tear away with her thumb.

Korra breaks then, burying her face in her mother's shoulder and sobbing. Senna rubs her back, muttering words that Korra doesn't catch until she calms down.

"It'll be alright, Korra," Senna says, wiping away her tears. "You'll get through this. Go call him, let him know you're alright. Talk."

"Mom, I can't." She pulls away from her mother, going to her old room. Down the hall, she hears Senna talking with the operator, asking to be put through to Republic City. She closes the door, not wanting to hear what Senna says to Mako.

A week later, a package arrives for Korra. The moment she sees Mako's handwriting, she takes it and retreats to her room. Inside, she finds his formal White Lotus uniform. Korra grabs it, ignoring the small, wooden tile that falls out as she brings it to her nose and inhales deeply. The fabric still smells like him.

She cries hard enough that Senna rushes in.

"Oh, baby," she says, wrapping her arms around Korra. Until now, she and Tonraq have been trying very hard to give Korra her space. They've let her know they're here for her, but have avoided asking questions. "Whatever it is, you'll get through this, Korra. I'm sure you two will work it out. You always do."

Korra shakes her head. "There is no working this out, Mom."

Something in Senna's face hardens. "Why, honey? What happened? Did he hurt you?"

Korra shakes her head vehemently, clutching her mother's arm. "No! Never. It's me, Mom. I'm the problem."

"I don't understand," Senna says, placing her hands on her daughter's shoulders. She looks so confused.

"I'm the Avatar, Mom," she says, voice breaking. "I'm the Avatar."

Burying her face in the uniform, Korra breaks all over again. Not once in her whole life, not even after Zaheer nearly killed her, has she ever wanted to not be the Avatar. She's never hurt this much before, though. And all because of something that was decided before she was born.

Senna wraps her arms around Korra and Korra cries all the harder. As grateful as she is to have her mother's comfort, Senna is not the one she wants. Korra can never go home again, though. Until she has the strength to build a new one—on her own—this is the only home she is allowed. Her parents had as little choice in this as she did.

She's given so much of herself for her job. Willingly. She knew being the Avatar meant making sacrifices.

She just wished Mako didn't have to be one of them.


	7. Always: Giving Up Pt 2

It's six months before she has the courage to go back to Republic City.

If it hadn't been Ikki getting her airbending tattoos, Korra probably would have gone another six months. Or until whenever her presence was required.

He'll be there. She knows. Probably too angry to speak with her, but He will be there. The airbender kids mean too much to them to let personal feelings get in the way. Then again, maybe He's moved on, He never came down to the South Pole to try to talk her into coming back. Into saving their marriage.

Reiko jumps on the opportunity to have the Avatar back in the City. The City is dedicating the renovated Southern Water Tribe Cultural Center and, considering that she's the chief's daughter, he'd love to extend a personal invitation. Somehow, she lets him convince her to come up a week before Ikki's ceremony to make the occasion more auspicious.

"Are you sure you don't want to take Naga?" Senna asks for the third time as they stand at the dock.

"Yes, Mom, I'd like to keep this visit quiet."

No need to rub her presence in His face. Eventually, if she really wants to set Him free, she knows they'll have to meet. There are papers to sign after all, but she's not sure she's up to that just yet. Soon though. It's not fair to Him to wait too much longer.

Her mother hugs her tightly.

"Easy," Korra laughs. "I'll be back in a week."

"Of course, Sweetie."

Waving to both her parents, Korra boards her boat. It's not as nice as what she's used to traveling on, but she didn't think Asami would be willing to send down the yacht for her. Not after the phone call that ended with both of them shouting.

The journey is uneventful. Checking into the hotel is uneventful. The first day back is uneventful. No one bothers her. Korra tries not to feel disappointed.

Not that there's no fuss. She hates fuss.

But there is still that aching part of her that wants to open her door and find Him there instead of her room service.

That night, she puts on a dress she hasn't worn in a year and lets her hair down, pinning it away from her face. It occurs to her when she gets into the cab, that the jeweled pins were a wedding gift from Asami. Korra nearly rips them out. There's no time to do anything else with her hair though, so she keeps them in.

When she gets to the cultural center, her eyes automatically scan the crowd. He's not there. She doesn't know why she expected it. There's no reason for a firebending detective to be at a Water Tribe function. Unless, of course, He's pissed Lin off enough that she'd want Him to spend the night in emotional turmoil.

"Avatar Korra," President Reiko says, holding his hand out.

She tries not to chaff as he turns her for a picture. She smiles half-heartedly. Some things never change.

Reiko sets her free to mingle, which she does, glad not to find anyone she really knows here. The last thing she wants to deal with are people who know her well enough—or think they know her well enough—to ask questions. Just before everyone sits down to dinner, Buttercup Reiko appears and takes Korra's arm, guiding her towards a small dais.

They stand just behind the president as he begins to speak about the Cultural Center and its impact on Republic City. Korra catches a slight commotion in the crowd; someone is trying to make their way to the front.

At first, Korra assumes it's a journalist. But when the man bursts out of the crowd, a knife flashing from inside his jacket, she jumps into action. She grabs Reiko, shoving him and his wife behind her, into the safety of their guards.

The man doesn't even notice. He snarls, rushing Korra. "Free Kuvira!" he shouts.

Two others are with him.

Korra deals with the man before her, trusting the other security forces to deal with the two behind him. She sidesteps, grabbing the wrist with the knife—he's poorly trained—and twists, wrenching it behind his back and driving him to his knees. She doesn't even have to use her bending.

"Korra, lookout!"

Blood running cold, Korra turns to the voice.

She sees the small, metal projectile before she can react. Pain lances through her arm and she cries out. If she hadn't turned, it probably would have gone right through her lung. There's no time for her to be hurt though. The man she'd subdued uses the distraction to try again.

A dark shape hurtles into him, knocking a second knife from his hand. They wrestle, but Mako ends up on top, his knee digging into the man's back as he cuffs him. "Stay down," he growls.

He's not in uniform. He's not even dressed up. He wears clothes that he would normally wear on lazy evenings, when they used to order take-out and sit on the couch, pouring over files.

"Are you okay?" he asks, running a hand through his hair.

Korra can't answer. He still wears his ring. Six months and he hasn't taken it off.

"Korra, are you okay?"

His eyes flash as they meet hers. She doesn't find anger, just worry.

She nods.

"You're bleeding," he says. Mako fishes a handkerchief out of his pocket and hands it to her.

Blinking, she reaches for it, her fingers brushing against his. Is it just her imagination, or does Mako pull back like she's burned him? Finally, Korra registers that they sit on the floor. The attacker must have knocked her down.

"Thanks," she says, getting to her feet.

Turning from her, Mako yanks the man to his feet, hustling him after the other terrorists.

"Avatar Korra, are you alright?" a woman asks. Korra thinks it's Reiko's assistant.

"Fine," Korra says, pressing the handkerchief to her arm. As far as she can tell, the wound isn't bad, just painful. Not nearly as painful as the heart beating in her chest though.

"I'll have a healer sent for," the woman says. "And get a security escort together."

"No, I can take care of it myself," Korra says. "That won't be necessary. I'll just take a cab back ho—to the hotel."

"Avatar Korra, I must insist."

"I'll be fine."

The woman huffs. "Wait a few minutes at least, I'll have someone arrange a ride for you."

Korra sighs. She has to bow to the woman's wisdom. There could be others out there. She'll have to brave the media circus that's about to erupt for a few minutes.

Nodding, Korra steps back to fidget with the handkerchief.

"Here." Deft fingers take the ends of her makeshift bandage and knot them together. "Is that too tight?"

"No, it's good." Korra swallows. This is a thousand times worse than when she came back from the South Pole last time. At least then, she'd actually said good-bye. At least then, she'd planned to come back. At least then, there was a giant war to distract from how awkward it was.

"Did they send for a healer?"

"It's not bad," Korra says, warily watching the press swarm around Reiko. "I can take care of it when I get back to the hotel."

"Of course," Mako says.

Korra searches for Reiko's assistant. She wants to get out of here. Her arm hurts. Her heart hurts. And she knows that if the reporters decide she has answers, they won't let her leave until they've wrung everything out of her. She doesn't have any answers, but no one is going to believe that.

"The apartment is closer, you know," he says.

Korra catches his glance out of the corner of her eye.

"I don't think-"

"The lady with the clipboard wants you to have a security escort, right?"

"Yes..."

"Tell you're going with me then. We'll stop at the apartment, you can fix your arm and then I'll make sure you get back to the hotel."

"I—"

"After what just happened, you're an idiot if you think I'm letting you out of my sight before you're ho—before you're safe." His elbow brushes against her shoulder as he crosses his arms. When did he get so close? "Please, Korra, let me do this at least." How can he say her name so calmly when just thinking his threatens to tear her to pieces?

With a glance at the reporters, who are still engrossed with Reiko, she nods. She wants to get out of here, even if it means going with Mako. The pain might be more intense this way, but the one thing worse than saying goodbye to him again would be having to answer six month's worth of questions and contributing to whatever nonsense the tabloids concocted from her answers.

With a few words to Reiko's assistant, they disappear out the back.

The ride back to the apartment is the most awkward ride they've shared since the time they took Naga searching for Bolin. Worse, even, because she can't lean back like he did or she'll fall off the bike. She spends the whole ride to their apartment wondering if this bothers him. Is the contact pleasant for him? Or painful? Or both?

The apartment hasn't changed. Of course not, Mako isn't the kind of person to rearrange the furniture on a whim.

"You know where the bathroom is," he says, tossing his keys on the counter and grabbing the phone.

Numbly, Korra opens the door to their—his bedroom and heads for the small bathroom. She doesn't look to see if the bed is made, or if tomorrow's uniform is folded neatly on top of the dresser.

Flicking on the light, she reaches for the knot on the handkerchief. There's already a dark red stain on the outside. A neat gash cuts through layers of skin and muscle. Not deep, but painful when she moves. It bleeds freely. Clapping the bandage back over the cut, she reaches for the faucet.

And freezes.

There is a second toothbrush next to Mako's.

Her brain does so many flips that it takes a moment for her to realize it's her toothbrush. Of course, it's her toothbrush. She remembers forgetting it. She'd cleared out her other things, but she hadn't been thinking about the bathroom.

"Do you want something for the pain? I still have some ginger tea."

"N-No, I'm good," she says, avoiding his gaze.

"Are you sure," he asks, leaning against the door frame. "You're bleeding on the rug."

Korra looks down at the bathmat. She'd stood there staring at that stupid toothbrush long enough that blood had run down her arm and dripped to the floor.

"Not the first time," she sighs, turning water on and leaning over the sink. The water turns pink as she washes her arm. This dress is done for, there's a large smear of blood on the skirt. In just a few minutes, she has a bright pink scar on her arm. She'll need to do more later, but she's tired and she wants to get away from her husband. Ex-husband.

Mako hands her a towel as she turns the water off. Thankfully, her hands aren't shaking, though that takes almost as much effort as healing herself did.

"I just talked with the chief," he says. "They sent a team to bust the rest of that group after I called in Shady Shin's tip. You won't have to worry about them while you're here."

"What did Shady Shin have to do with it?"

Mako smiles grimly. "Shin owes me for more favors than he can count. I have him keeping an ear out for trouble. Especially when the Avatar is in town."

"You knew I was coming?" She closes her eyes. That was dumb.

"Of course I knew, Korra," he says.

Heart pounding, she puts the towel down. "I—We should go. I'm tired." Korra tenses as she brushes past him, sure that he's going to grab her. He doesn't. Not physically.

"Is it really that easy for you?"

"What?"

"Walking away. Is it that easy for you?"

Korra stops at the bedroom door; she knows what answer she should give. She knows what he needs to hear to let her walk out that door and move on. But she can't stand the tone of his voice. So superior.

"You think this is easy?" she demands, whirling on him. "You think I'm not breaking into pieces right now?" There it is, she's found his anger, but she's too angry for that to hurt her now.

"Yes, Korra, I do," he says. "It took me a while to figure it out, but I finally understand…"

"What?"

"I love you more than you love me. That's what it comes down to."

"How dare you. How dare you say that to me," she shouts. It takes everything in her not to slap him right across his smug face.

"Look at the facts, Korra," he says. "I waited three years for you. Even when I wasn't sure it would work. Even when you didn't write back. I waited for you. I gave you everything and you just left."

Korra can feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins, but she's strangely calm. There is no fear that her voice will shake. Let him know the real reason. Let him really understand, then maybe he'll finally let her leave.

"I didn't leave you," she says. Her hands clench by her sides. "I'm the Avatar, I will always be the Avatar. I will never be safe. No matter how long it seems like things have finally settled down, there is always the chance that there will be a next time. And next time I might not make it. I can't put you through that anymore." She can see them on her bedside table, still where she left them. Her necklace. Her ring. "I can't ask that of you anymore."

Mako stares at her, mouth agape. "Korra—"

"I didn't leave you, Mako. I gave you up," she says. "And it was the hardest thing I've ever done. Don't talk to me about waiting. Nothing—nothing compares to giving you up."

Korra storms through the living room, yanking the door open. She can get back to the hotel on her own.

His hand clamps down on her arm. "I said I'd always love you, Korra," he says, his voice gentle now. "Do you really think that being apart means it would hurt less if something ever happened to you?"

"It will be, when you finally move on, Mako."

Carefully, he turns her back to face him. "I am never moving on, Korra. You're it. I want my life to be with you, no matter how long we get. I don't want to look back and regret time we could have had. I want every minute possible to be with you." His hands are shaking as he places them on her shoulders, ignoring the fact that she won't look at him. "All you have to do is stay, Korra."

"Mako, I can't-" she says, her voice breaking. She needs to get out now before she starts crying.

"I know," he says. "I know." He takes her hands, pressing his lips to her knuckles. "I understand now." And he lets her go.

"Korra," he says as she's about to close the door behind her. "I'll be here, when you finally figure out that this isn't the answer, I'll be waiting right here." He smiles at her. "Any time with you is worth it."

He steps back, letting her pull the door shut. The click of the latch feels like a hot poker being thrust into her gut.

_I will always love you, Korra_.

Her breath catching in her throat, Korra leans back into the door, pressing her hand to her mouth to stifle the sobs.

Why do his words have to make so much sense? Six months and he only seems to love her more. IS that even possible? Yes. She knows it's possible, because she loves him more than ever.

"I can't—" she gasps. "I can't—"

She can't leave. But if she doesn't have the strength to leave, how is she supposed to have the strength to stay?

The answer hits her and her knees nearly buckle.

On her own, she's not strong enough for any of this. Neither is he. That's why there are two people in a relationship.

Together. They've always been stronger together.

Korra spins, fumbling at the doorknob. It's wrenched out of her hand as she twists it.

He stands in nearly the same spot that he was in when she closed the door, his face wet with tears.

Korra reaches for him, burying her face against his chest. His embrace is crushing. That's good, she feels like she might fly apart.

"So did I," she sobs. "So did I."

She clings to him as he picks her up, kicking the door closed. He doesn't bother to do the same with the bedroom door. He places her in the middle of their bed, curling around her as she cries until she's too tired to keep her eyes open.

She sleeps better than she has in months.

When she wakes up, they've settled into their usual places. He's sprawled on his side of the bed. Running her fingers through her hair, she sits up. She still wears the blood-stained gown from last night. Sliding out of the bed, she quietly looks to see if she left anything behind. Nothing.

Briefly, she thinks about stealing one of Mako's shirts, but she can't exactly go out and about in that. Well, she'd have to go get her things from the hotel eventually. She goes to her nightstand, knowingshe should leave a note. Better to do this now. It's still early enough that she might be able to sneak in and out without having to deal with any persistent journalists.

Korra freezes when she sees the necklace and ring again.

Quickly, she grabs them. Her fingers fumble with clasp on the necklace, but she gets it after a few tries. The ring is easier. It slides on and she can almost forget that the last six months happened.

Hurriedly, she writes the note, pausing to kiss his cheek and murmur, "I'll be back soon," before she rushes out the door.

The cabbie gives her an odd look, but takes her to the hotel. She showers quickly, throwing her dress in the trash. She'll get another later. Donning her normal clothes, Korra grabs her bags—Korra rarely unpacks, which always drives Mako crazy—and heads to the front desk to check out. The girl watches her with wide eyes and Korra knows she'll be calling one of the papers the instant Korra is out the door.

Mako is banging around in the kitchen when she gets back. He turns when the door clicks closed behind her. She tries for a smile as she drops the bag on the couch. They need to talk, she knows that.

Even she's a little afraid that she might run again. First things first though.

"Mind if I use the phone," she asks.

"It is technically your phone," he says, pulling out a box of instant coffee.

It strikes her just how long she's been gone. Long enough that he's gotten used to making coffee without her. He doesn't even pause as he grabs the measuring cup and reaches for the faucet.

Coming up behind him, Korra says, "I'll get that. Take care of the coffee." She remembers exactly how much water to bend into the machine. That done, she perches on the counter, next to the telephone and dials the operator.

The operator comes on, expressing her pleasure as she patches Korra through to the South Pole.

"Breakfast?" Mako asks as she waits.

Korra nods, but she doesn't get the chance to respond before her mother's voice comes on the line.

"Yes? Hello?" Senna sounds a little worried.

"Hey, Mom," she says.

"Korra, are you alright?"

Korra rolls her eyes. "Yes, Mom." She can't really blame her mother. Her parents have gotten so many calls from Republic City to say something has happened to her.

There's a long pause on the other line. "You sound like you're in a good mood. I take it reopening of the Cultural Center went well?"

For a moment, Korra debates whether to give her mom all the details of what happened at the Center last night.

She settles for just saying, "Actually, not so well. It's long story, but that's not why I called."

"Of course," Senna says. "Are you staying up there, dear?"

Korra's eyes narrow at the smug tone in her mother's voice. Once her mother learned the real reason she'd left republic City, she and Tonraq had spent nearly a month trying to convince her how foolish Korra was being. When their efforts proved futile, they'd dropped the subject, but Korra knew they still thought she had left too easily.

She should have known her parents were right.

"Yes, Mom" Korra says. "Do you think you could send my Naga and my things?"

Senna reply takes long enough that Korra hurriedly adds, "I can come back if that'll be too much trouble, but it won't be for a while, I think."

Mako's shoulders visibly relax when she says that. He continues pulling things out of the icebox as if he'd never frozen in the first place.

"No, Korra," Senna says. "It's not that much. Where am I sending them?"

"The apartment," Korra says. "And I'll meet the ship at the dock for Naga. Just let me know when she's coming in."

"Alright," Senna says. "I love you, Korra."

"I love you too, Mom."

The line goes silent and Korra hangs the earpiece back in its place.

Mako turns from the stove. "Everything good?"

"Yeah," she says. "The rest of my stuff'll be here in a few days. Are—are you okay with that?"

Mako nods, reaching for her hand.

Their kitchen is so small he doesn't have to reach very far. Korra wants to close the space between them, but she's afraid. She might have put the ring and the necklace back on, but that doesn't make up for her taking them off in the first place. He might want her back, but that doesn't mean he'll trust her any time soon.

Lifting her hand, her left hand, up between them he runs his finger over the wedding band.

"I'm staying," she says softly.

Mako searches her eyes. "How long?"

"Always."

He steps forward. With her sitting on the counter they are the same height. Pressing his lips to hers, he kisses her with excruciating slowness. He's still wearing his clothes from last night, she realizes. Her fingers fumble with the buttons of his jacket. She wants him and all her reason to say no are gone.

She can feel his chest rumble as he chuckles. "Korra, this is the kitchen."

"Never stopped us before," she murmurs.

Mako laughs again, stepping away to turn off the burner. Then he's back, kissing her again. She scoots forward, wrapping her legs around him. One arm circling her waist, Mako lifts her off the counter and strides towards their bedroom.


	8. In Another Life

"So does this mean I'm on the team now?"

Mako froze, waiting several long breaths before turning to the Avatar. Everything had happened to quickly for him to think about what they would do after the match. They did need a new waterbender and Korra was there and she had some pretty great moments tonight.

But she also had some not so great moments.

"Um..."

"Aw, c'mon Mako," Bolin said. "You said yourself: She's a natural."

"Yeah," Mako said, resisting the urge to pull at the collar of his uniform. "But talent doesn't make up for training and no offense, Korra, but you are pretty raw. This is the _tournament_ we're talking about. Besides, Bolin, I'm sure she's busy with Avatar stuff."

"Just airbending training and that I can work out with Tenzin," Korra said. She crossed her arms, quirking one side of her mouth up, looking like she could take on an armadillo bear despite the too big uniform. "He's my teacher, not my mom."

Bolin grabbed his arm. "Say yes, Mako. I've got a good feeling about this."

"Look, City Boy," Korra said. "I know this is a big deal for you guys, I'll work really hard to catch up, Avatar's promise."

"We practice early in the morning," Mako said.

The Avatar's smile dimmed just a little bit, then she said, "I—I can work with that."

Mako sighed. "I'm never going to get rid of you am I?"

"In another life, maybe," she said.

He rolled his eyes. "I think one lifetime of you will be enough," he muttered. Then he held out his hand to Korra, "Welcome to the team, Korra."

"Yes." Korra shook his hand vigorously.

"Woohoo! Korra's on board," Bolin shouted. He and Korra jumped into the air, high fiving each other with such force that Mako winced.

This girl really was crazy.

Mako really hoped he wasn't going to regret this.

###

"Ayako! Miyuki," Juruo called, "Wait up, there's someone I want you guys to meet!"

Miyuki sighed and exchanged a glance with Ayako, her waterbending teammate. Juruo, the Fire Ferrets' earthbender was always bringing people in before and after matches to meet them, especially now that they'd gotten so popular. It would only get worse, she figured, now that they made it to the tournament.

With a shrug, Ayako turned back to Juruo. _Let's get this over fast,_ she seemed to be saying.

Miyuki had to work to keep her face neutral when she saw who the earthbender had in tow. Pulling off her helmet, she took a deep breath. She was not going to freak out.

Juruo slipped between the girls, putting an arm around each of them.

"This is the lovely Ayako," he said. "And this," he gave the arm around Miyuki's shoulders a gentle squeeze, "Is Miyuki. Careful, she bites."

Miyuki jabbed her elbow into his side. She loved Juruo, but he seemed to enjoy embarrassing her.

"Nice to meet you ladies," the newcomer said, reaching for Ayako's hand first. He shook, smiling despite the fact that Ayako's mouth gaped. He turned to Miyuki, offering the same shit-eating grin and his hand. "I'm Kyo. I'm sure Juruo has told you all about me."

Miyuki took his hand and gave it one business like pump. Juruo had in fact told them all about his friend Kyo from school. They'd trained together in earthbending. She hadn't thought much of it. Kyo was a common enough name. She had never imagined that Juruo's Kyo was THE Kyo.

Miyuki could've kicked herself for not putting those two pieces together.

"Aw, he's so bashful," Juruo said. He let go of the girls to stand next to his friend, giving an extra manly slap on the back. "Now, Miyuki I know you don't really keep up with all the celebrities but-"

Miyuki rolled her eyes. "Juruo, I'm not an idiot. He's the Avatar."

To his credit, Kyo had the decency to turn bright red.

Juruo pressed his lips together and glared at Miyuki. "Party pooper."

With a growl, Miyuki grabbed her gear and bag. She was tired. She was sweaty. And they still had to schmooze at the after party.

Halfway to the door, she turned. "It was nice to meet you Avatar Kyo."

Then she bustled out the door, determinedly not thinking about the fact that she had just met the Avatar. The AVATAR. He was the grandson of one of the original Fire Ferrets. His previous incarnation had been on the original team too. And his uncle. Of course she'd recognized him. Juruo was an idiot.

Miyuki had though it was crazy when Umi and Kanna had accepted her onto the new Fire Ferrets team. She knew that the twins were Avatar Korra's daughters, but having a teammate who knew the current Avatar? That was insane. Her life was officially insane.

Taking a deep breath, Miyuki switched on the shower. She was not going to let this go to her head. She'd met plenty of famous people. One good-looking earthbender was not going turn her head. Besides, he was a busy guy. She wasn't going to count on ever seeing him again.

###

Except that he was at the party. She couldn't really blame Juruo for inviting him. If she'd had an old friend stop by a match, she would have done the same thing.

Studiously avoiding her teammate and his friend, she mingled with the rest of the party-goers, making sure to stop and thank each of the people who helped sponsor the twins' pro-bending school and, by extension, her team. Still, she couldn't help but notice all the people that flocked around Kyo. He ate the attention up, grinning and seeming as natural under all that scrutiny as a mover star.

Miyuki shuddered, she still felt uncomfortable with the Fire Ferrets modest fame. She couldn't imagine being in the spotlight like he was. Finally, all her compliments paid, Miyuki stole outside onto the balcony. She just had to stay for the speech and then she could go home and fall into bed.

It was a little hot tonight, so she gathered her skirt up to her thighs as she sat on a bench, wishing for a cool breeze as she leaned back and closed her eyes.

The door to the balcony creaked. Miyuki sighed.

"Sorry, I didn't know anyone was out here."

Her eyes flew open. Kyo? Of all people. Standing, she shook her skirt out, then looked at him coolly.

"Oh, you're still here?"

Kyo blinked. "Oh, you're still a jerk?" He crossed his arms and quirked an eyebrow. Spirits he was taller. Taller than she was, and that was saying something.

"I am not—" She almost protested that he had blundered into her private moment, not the other way around. Then she realized that he might be out here for the same reason she was. "Sorry, that was uncalled for. You just surprised me, that's all."

"Do you frequently get rude when you're surprised?"

"Yes, actually."

The Avatar ran a hand through his hair, brushing all of it away from his forehead. Most of it stayed, but one little curled bounced forward defiantly.

"Must be nice," he said. "I rarely get the luxury of being rude."

In the ballroom, the music switched, changing from a light, airy classic piece to a jumpy tune that meant people would be partnering up on the dance floor soon.

"I should go," Miyuki said. "I think I missed the Satos."

"Running away so soon?" Kyo asked, grinning at her.

"I'm not running away." Miyuki propped her hands on her hips and glared at him. "I just thought I'd be considerate and give privacy from your adoring fans."

"You're sure it's not because you're intimidated by my devilish good looks?" he asked.

"Are you hitting on me?" she demanded. Who the hell did he think he was? He barely knew her. "Look, buster, I don't care if you're the Avatar or not. I am not one of your fangirls, so don't expect me to swoon just because you wink at me."

Kyo took a step back. "What? Wait—did I wink?"

"No, but that's not the point," Miyuki said. "Now, if you'll excuse me I'm going inside."

"Wait," Kyo said. "Miyuki, hold on. I'm sorry."

She felt his fingers brush over her shoulder for moment before hurriedly drawing away. When she turned back to him, he was looking at his hand like he didn't know what it was.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to—" Kyo exhaled slowly, propping one hand on his hip and rubbing at his forehead with the other. He looked tired. "Look, maybe we got off on the wrong foot. I apologize for the act, sometimes I forget to turn it off."

Miyuki crossed her arms. "Apology accepted."

Kyo gave her a small smile. "Let me make it up to you?"

She had a feeling she knew where this was headed. "And how were you planning to do that?"

"Dance with me?"

"And how is that making it up to me?"

"Aw, c'mon. A few minutes of the Avatar's undivided attention? I'll answer any questions you can ask."

Miyuki had to admit that that sounded tempting. The stories he probably had to tell. Still, she didn't want to sound too eager. And she liked the way he was smiling at her. She didn't have to think back to a few minutes before to know that this was a smile he didn't show many people. Maybe one dance wouldn't hurt.

"I'm never going to get rid of you, am I?"

His grin widened. "In another life maybe."

Miyuki grimaced. The Avatar would have a thing for bad puns.

Kyo took her grimace a different way.

"Unless, you don't want to dance, in which case I'll leave you alone. I just thought it might be nice to get to know Juruo's teammates, but if you'd rather I left you alone—"

"You really care about him, don't you?" she asked.

Kyo nodded. "Of course. Growing up, we were best friends. When you're—well, when you're someone like me, you keep in touch with friends like that."

For some reason, Miyuki liked how he could go from flustered to really sweet in just a few minutes. Knowing that he stuck by the people he cared about was nice too. He probably didn't have a lot of free time, coming to spend it watching Juruo's match did speak volumes about him.

"I'll warn you," Miyuki said. "It'll take more than once dance to get to know me."

"Well, then I'll have to hope our paths cross again."

Sighing, Miyuki took the arm he offered and followed him inside. Had Avatar Korra been this persistent? If so, she felt sorry for anyone who had to deal with the Avatar for more than one lifetime.

* * *

><p><strong>So those of you who've been following me might remember Kyo from my story, We Lived and I might have made a passing mention of his wife Miyuki. Completely different timeline. You might remember that Mako lived for fifteen years after Korra died in that one. But since I think that that is cruel and unusual punishment, my actual head canon is Reunion, where Mako goes first and then Korra follows three years later. And since that happened to work for this prompt, I just went with it. <strong>

**If you're curious about the Makorra family dynamic (which is briefly mentioned here) I'd suggest checking out The Oldest Demons and Sniffles and Earaches...or you could just keep reading, I'll get to more Makorra family head canons eventually.**

**Enjoy!**


	9. Insomnia

Korra wishes they hadn't stopped to find out what caused the crater.

Opal is still sobbing. Korra feels numb. Five minutes on the ground and the whole world crashes down. Twice in one day is too much.

She lay wearily in the riding basket, unable to sleep. None of them will be getting any sleep tonight. Even Meelo is silent.

Opal's gasps, wides eyes meeting Korra's. "Someone has to tell Mako," she whispers.

Just like that, whatever had been dulling the pain of Bolin's death rips viciously off. Somehow, this makes it real. Bolin is gone.

Closing her eyes, Korra sighs. "I'll do it."

"Korra, are you sure that's a good idea?" Opal asks. "It's been three years."

Groaning, Korra sits up. "Yes," she says. "It needs to be me."

Three years may have passed, but he never stopped writing. Maybe they weren't the most personal letters, but they were enough for her to see how Mako changed. No matter what else had happened, she and Mako are still teammates. They will always be the Fire Ferrets. And no one understands how much Mako loved his brother better than she does.

She settles against the side of the basket, giving up on sleep altogether. She hurts too much to sleep.

###

When they get back to the city, it's late in the evening.

Pema greets them with a giant smile, little Rohan hiding behind his mother's leg. Tenzin gives her a relieved look and a gentle hug. They give the brief version of events, her mentor's frown growing deeper with every word.

By the time they're done, the sun has set.

Korra just starts thinking that maybe it's better to face Mako after getting some sleep, when the door slides open and Asami and Mako burst into the room. Some guy, who Korra assumes muse be Prince—or was it King now—Wu, follows close on their heels.

Asami tackles her.

"Ow," Korra says as her friend squeezes hard. "Careful, I'm not made of platinum." She almost smiles, until she catches a glimpse of Mako's face over Asami's shoulder. He's grinning at her. Korra's heart squeezes. "I missed you too," she says, hugging Asami for a few more seconds, imagining that her friend is lending her strength. "Give me a minute, okay? Jinora, can you bring them up to speed on _everything_."

Mako arches a brow as she approaches him.

"We need to talk," she says before he can move to hug her. Gesturing for him to follow, Korra leaves the room. She tries to ignore the look she's getting from Asami and Pema. She wishes that was why she needed to talk to Mako.

Mako keeps a careful distance from her. Not close, but not so far that she couldn't reach out and take his hand. Every few moments, he glances at her.

In the courtyard, Korra stops, sitting on the steps.

"You should sit down, Mako."

A soft breath escape his lips. Then he folds down next to her.

"We missed you." His touch on her shoulder is feather light. "Korra, I—"

"Wait," she says, putting her head in her hands. "You need to hear what I have to say first." Now that she's here, she doesn't know where to start. Why did she volunteer for this? A glance at Mako holds her answer. He still trusts her. Still believes in her.

Sitting back, she laces her fingers over her knee.

"It's about Bolin," she says. The pro-bending arena is alight tonight. Of course, there's probably a match going on right now. Korra fixes her gaze on the building

"O-kay."

Korra is tempted to look at him, but she keeps her eyes on the arena runs her fingers over the worn fabric covering her knee.

"On our way back, we found—we found the wreckage of a train," she says. "One of Kuvira's. It had been blown apart."

She can't look at him, but she can feel his eyes on her. Were the pieces coming together in that detective brain of his? Korra had no doubt that he'd come out thinking he knew what this conversation was going to be about. He was probably expecting some sort of explanation for three years of silence.

Korra would give anything to have it be about that. She wishes it could be about that. And only half because of the Bolin shaped place in her heart that is currently bleeding.

Taking a shaking breath, she continues, "We stopped so that Jinora could do some snooping. According to what she overheard from some of the clean-up crew, Kuvira had Varrick working on some sort of super weapon." Korra lifts a hand to push her hair back, wincing as the motion sets off a line of pain in her shoulder. Carefully, she lowers her hand, hoping Mako didn't notice. This isn't about her. "He—Bolin was with him when the weapon was triggered somehow."

Korra's heart pumps out blood for six beats of silence.

"No..." Mako jumps to his feet, whirling on her, glaring down at her. "No, you're wrong. Bolin—he wouldn't—he would have..."

Korra meets his eyes.

Mako swallows. "You're wrong, Korra. You have to be. He can't be—"

"I saw it with my own eyes, Mako. If he was with Varrick, there was no way..." Her voice cracks again. She's so tired. And she hurts, not just emotionally. Everything about her is stretched to the limit right now. She needs to find some water and do another healing session. But not now. Not yet. Biting her lip against the pain, she stands, reaching for his hand. "I'm sorry," she says. "I'm so sorry, Mako."

He stares at her. She watches as one by one the emotions flit across his face and are pulled back. Taking several slow steps back, he shakes his head.

"No," he says. "No." He spins on his heel and runs into the darkness.

Even if she could run after him, Korra knows that's not the right thing to do right now. She gave up that right when she decided not to write to him.

Someone else pounds down the walkway. They're wearing heels. Asami. Korra waits until Asami is next to her. When she turns to her friend, there are tears running down Asami's cheeks.

"Is it true?"

Korra nods. She lets Asami hug her, feeling numb. Why isn't she crying? Bolin was her friend too. Why haven't the tears come yet?

###

It's very, very late when Korra finally gives up on sleep. Despite that fact that she hasn't slept in two days, unconsciousness won't come. Her heart seems to throb with each beat.

She's still sore as she sits up, but there's no acute pain anywhere. At least not any physical pain.

Opening her window, Korra leans out, looking at the probending arena. Remembering the first time she saw Bolin. Smiling as she thought of how they'd blundered through that awkward lie. The arena is dark now, it's that late. Moonlight ghosts over the shining metal surface.

Up in one of the towers, she catches the flicker of a flame as it passes the window.

Her heart gives an extra big thud.

She's dressed and standing at the cliff before she processes what she's doing.

Korra dives.

It feels so good to be surrounded by the water again. Her entrance to the arena isn't as graceful as it was nearly four years ago and she's in very different clothes, but this still feels familiar.

This time, no one stops her as she sneaks through the gym and up the stairs to the attic apartment. He has to know she's coming, every other stair creaks beneath her. Not that she's trying to sneak up on him.

The door hangs open. The room is empty, lit only by moonlight. He stands at the window, looking outside.

"Mako?"

He turns, the flame still hovering in his hand.

"I—I couldn't sleep and I just—"

Korra closes the distance between them quickly, stopping just a few feet from him.

"I know," she whispers.

"Sorry," he says, looking at the ground. This close, the tear tracks on his cheeks are obvious in the dim light.

"Mako."

He looks up at the way she says his name, his eyes meeting hers as the flame goes out all once. She holds her arms out to him, staggering as he throws himself into her, sobbing so hard he shakes them both. His weight is almost too much for her battered body, so she pulls him to the window seat. Holding him to her as he cries for his brother.

She still has no tears. She wishes she could cry. Korra envies Mako's release of emotion. The grief feels like a tight bubble inside of her. The pressure continuing to build against a wall so thick, she thinks she'll never have relief.

Somehow, they manage to squeeze both of their tall frames onto the little bench. Mako falls asleep first. Korra doesn't remember dozing off, but she must have, because it's dawn when she wakes up leaning against the wall. Somehow, Mako managed to curl up lengthwise across the bench, his head in her lap.

One arm is pillowed underneath his head, the shoulder digging into her hip. He's smiling gently, though his cheeks are still a little flushed from crying. Carefully, Korra stretches, shifting so that she's a little more comfortable. There's a knot in her back and all her muscles are stiff and sore, the bruises are a lurid yellow instead of black.

She'll need to get back to the island soon. Her friends will probably assume that she's getting some much needed rest, but that's not a guarantee. She can see Pema going to check on her and then everyone going into a panic because the Avatar is missing once again.

Not yet, she decides looking down at Mako. That smile means he isn't dreaming about dead brothers and regrets. If she wakes him, he'll remember. Bolin is gone, there is nothing she can do about that. However, she can let him escape from the heartbreak for a little longer.

Bolin is gone.

It hits like a hammer once again.

Finally, Korra feels herself break. Finally, she leans her head back and cries.

Gently, she combs her fingers through his hair as the tears run down her cheeks silently.

Mako stirs and she hastily wipes the tears away.

"Korra?"

"Hey," she says, looking down to find him blinking up at her with bright eyes.

Clearly, he's confused to find her here, with him. At the same time, he looks so happy to see her that it breaks her heart all over again. She watches the light fade as he remembers. Slowly, he pushes himself up. He sits for a long moment, hands clasped loosely, eyes on the floor.

"I—I should go," he says. "Wu will—"

"Wu's giving you the day off," Korra says, grabbing his arm to keep him from rising. "He's giving you the next couple of days off. I don't care who he is, he can't expect you to go to work like nothing's happened."

"He probably won't, but Reiko—"

"Reiko can deal with me," she says.

Mako glances up at her, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm serious, Mako," she says. "I'll deal with both of them if you need me to."

"Thank you."

Korra stands, trying not to wince. "I should get back," she says. "Before they send out another search party for me."

"Okay."

Korra leans in, giving him a hug, he returns it hesitantly, though she's pretty sure that's because he's noticed the bruises and not because of any awkwardness.

Pressing her cheek to the top of his head, she whispers, "I'm here for you, if you need me. You know where to find me."

Mako takes a shuddering breath and nods.

It's on the tip of her tongue to ask if he wants to just come with her, but she doesn't. Mako had never been one to want other people when he's upset. She smiles sadly, brushing her fingers down the side of his face, but he doesn't look up at her.

She backs away, her fingertips the last thing to touch him, and heads for the door.

"Korra..."

"Yes?"

He stands slowly, looking like he just went a few rounds with Kuvira as well. For a minute, he looks like he might cry again, but he pushes it back down. Of course, he'd want to be in control again.

"Can I—Do you mind if I—"

"Of course," she says, gesturing to the doorway.

His steps are quick and sure until he gets close. He falters. Reaching out, Korra takes his hand, squeezing it.

* * *

><p><strong>This was written before they released the clip of Korra coming back to Republic City, so obviously there are a few details missing. More a spec fic than anything I think will actually happen. I doubt they'll know Bolin almost got blown up until they reunite (at which point I will be very disappointed if Mako doesn't try to kill Varrick). But I liked the idea and I do think it would have been Korra to volunteer to break the news to him, considering her history with the brothers. (Also, I was a bad, bad girl and forgot about Naga and then it didn't fit with the narrative of this story, so just pretend that this is what happens after she reunites with Naga.)<strong>

**Can't wait for tomorrow's episode. Wheeeee! Reunions everywhere. (And shipwars everywhere, ugh.)**

**Enjoy!**


	10. Kiss Me

Mako was an idiot.

That was the only explanation Korra could think of as she leaned against the patio railing, watching snow dust the bare branches of the bushes in front of her. The only explanation to why he had yet to make a move. He was an idiot and he obviously was unaware of the fact that they were meant for each other. Because here they were, outside, alone with a starry night sky above them and he had yet to bring up their relationship status. They were at a Christmas party, complete with mistletoe—_mistletoe_—and Mako acted like he didn't notice (He had noticed, because he deliberately let Korra go through the door first).

It had been three months since their meeting at the Laundromat.

At the beginning of the semester.

The _beginning_.

it was almost time for finals and he was still sticking with the whole buddy-buddy routine. She knew he liked her. Knew it. He had to know she liked him—they were spending so much time together her best friend was starting to get jealous.

Well, if he was going to be that way…Korra couldn't figure out if she wanted to take matters into her own hands or just decide that Mako wasn't worth her time.

Maybe, she thought as she listened to him talk about the kids at their dojo, she should give him the holidays. She was headed back home for Christmas break. That might give him some time to reflect, absence made the heart grow fonder they said. Depending on his reaction when they got back to campus, she could make her own decision about what to do.

They might be taking classes together this semester after all.

"Will you be there?" Mako asked.

"What?"

"Tomorrow. You're coming to belt testing, right? You know Paige and Michael would love to have you there."

Korra sighed. She thought she knew the kids he was talking about, she was still getting to know the names of some of the regulars. Mako knew them all, of course, it was one of his two jobs. Korra was pretty sure those kids were in the advanced class right before theirs. They were sweet kids, she hated to have to disappoint them.

"I can't," she replied. "I'm judging a gymnastics competition tomorrow."

"Gymnastics?" he said, quirking an eyebrow.

Korra tried to look offended. "How do you think I got into cheerleading?"

"Um…I'm guessing gymnastics?"

"My parents enrolled me when I was little. I loved it."

"Why did you stop then?"

Korra shifted her feet. There were a lot of reasons she'd decided not to pursue, not all of which—well, one in particular—she was comfortable sharing with Mako. Not yet. Pulling herself up to her full height, she gestured to herself.

"Have you seen how tall I am?" she asked. Point made, she leaned against the railing again, taking a sip of her egg nog. "I was eleven and already a head taller than most of the girls my age. And competing can be really expensive."

"Were you any good?" Mako asked, taking a sip of his drink.

Korra scoffed. "Of course. How else do you think I made the squad here?"

She had an idea. Korra took a look at the party behind them. Nobody was paying them any attention. They were too busy dancing to "Jingle Bell Rock".

"I could show you." Korra wanted him to say yes, now that the idea had crossed her mind, she could feel the familiar itch beneath her skin. The itch that drove her to practice and kept her taking lessons even during the years that competing was just too stressful. The itch that drove her to join her high school cheer squad and think that maybe, just maybe she was ready to compete again.

"Now?" Mako asked. "Here?"

"Not _here_ here. Not enough room."

Grabbing his hand, she dragged him through the patio gate and onto the lawn behind the sports building. Not that there was much lawn yet. It was mostly, snow and dirt right now.

Leaving a protesting Mako, Korra kicked through the tis layer of snow, making sure there weren't any nasty surprises. When she finally had enough distance, Korra spun, flashing her best cheer smile and raising her hands above her head.

A running start and she was in the air. This was her favorite part, the way her hands and feet barely touched the ground and she felt like something more than human, just for a minute. Instinct took over as she tumbled. There was no plan, she followed where her body led, paying only enough attention to make sure she stayed in a straight line. If she was going to show off, she might as well show off well.

The landing was perfect.

She posed one last time and turned to Mako.

His eyes looked ready to fall out of his head. Mako snapped his mouth shut as Korra cocked her head to the side and grinned at him.

"Impressed?"

"Impressed?" Mako sounded incredulous. "Korra, you were flying!"

Korra laughed, grabbing his cup and peering into it. "I thought you weren't drinking, Mr. I'm-Only-Twenty."

Mako took his cup back, rolling his eyes. "You know what I meant."

"Yeah," Korra said, heading back for the shelter of the patio. Outside was freezing, and neither of them had thought to grab their coats when they ducked away from the heat and the noise inside the building. She was surprised Mako's teeth aren't chattering, he hated the cold. Something about growing up down south before he moved up here to live with his grandmother. "It kind of feels that way. C'mon, we should get inside before you turn into a popsicle."

"Nah," Mako said, despite his bright red nose. "I'm fine right here. This is about the point where Bolin usually starts a Conga line." He looks across the abandoned tables and chairs between them and the door, gesturing inside, where is brother is indeed trying to instigate some sort of group…something. "So, cheerleading, martial arts, and gymnastics. Is there anything you aren't good at?"

"Plenty," Korra replied. She glanced at him slyly. "It's not like I'm Batman."

"You're going there again?" Mako glared at her. "You're just jealous that you'll never be as awesome as Bruce Wayne."

"Oh, did I hit a nerve?" She, of course, knew that. Superheroes were a constant point of contention with them. Mako could be such a dork sometimes though, it was fun to tease him. She sighed. "I just don't see it."

"See what?"

"What makes him so much better." Now, give her a really cool hero, with actual super powers. Korra could get behind that. Someone who came from the bottom and worked their way up. "I mean, what are his superpowers? Brooding and tragic backstory? Oh, your parents were killed in front of you, sorry, sucks to be you. But maybe beating people senseless is not the best use of your parent's millions. Batman is just a rich man in a fancy suit when you get down to it."

It's very quiet when she finished talking. Korra looked up at Mako, surprised that she's actually offended him. They were talking about fictional characters for crying out loud. Mako took a deep breath.

"He didn't give up," Mako said. "He didn't let what happened to him rip him apart, he kept going. He does everything in his power to stop what happened to him from happening to anyone else. He fights harder and trains longer and thinks smarter."

Korra waited. Something about the way Mako watched the snow that had started falling around them made her reluctant to speak. She had touched some deeper issue and if anyone understood how deep things could go, it was her. Korra placed her hand on his arm, bringing his attention back to her.

"I'm sorry." Part of her wanted to ask what made him look so sad, but she had her own secrets and until she was ready to share those, she wasn't going to ask Mako to share his.

Mako studied her, his face easing into his familiar neutral expression. He always tried to keep his feelings under guard. Even after three months, Korra felt like she'd barely cracked his shell. For the first time, she realized there might be a good reason why.

"You know how Bolin and I grew up with our grandma?"

Korra nodded.

"We're orphans."

"I know," she said. "Mako, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"I want to tell you though," he said. Mako set his cup on the table behind them and turned to stare back out at the snow. "I was eight. Bolin was sick, but my parents hadn't wanted to miss my soccer match, so they left him with Grandma Yin. My team lost." The corner of Mako's mouth that Korra could see quirked into a smile. "I was really upset, so my parents took me walking around the park and let me play on the swing set for a little bit. It was really late when we headed back to our car. The park wasn't in the best part of town and this guy walks up with a gun..." Mako hung his head. "I can't even remember why he pulled the trigger."

Korra gasped. "Oh my god." Her whispering breath was hot against her palm.

Mako kept looking out at the field.

"He was going to kill me too," he said. "I'd gotten a good look at his face—IDing him was easy when they took me to the station—but he looked at me and I knew he was going to shoot and I was too scared to even cry. Then he dropped the gun and ran, didn't even take my mom's purse. Hey," Mako said, glancing down at Korra. "It's okay."

Korra blinked, realizing suddenly that she was crying. With icy fingers, she wiped away the tears.

"I didn't know," she said. "I never would have said…"

Mako squeezed her shoulder. "I know." He picked at paint flaking on the railing. "I've been wanting to tell you for a while now, I just—that's not something you just dump on someone during a normal conversation."

"Unless they stumble into it like an idiot, you mean," Korra said. She rested her head against his shoulder. She knew this was big. Suddenly, she didn't care that he was taking his sweet time deciding how he felt about her. Maybe Mako wasn't such an idiot after all. He just needed more time than most people.

Hesitantly, Mako put his arm around her shoulders.

"I'm really am sorry I said that, Mako."

"It's okay. You—"

"Mistletoe!"

Korra and Mako jumped apart, whirling to find Bolin standing behind them with something green held between his fingers.

"Now, now, you two," he said. "You know the rules."

"Bolin, seriously," Mako said. "What is wrong with you? You don't just sneak up on people like that." Turning bright red—Korra strongly suspected the cold had nothing to with that—he ducked his head. "Korra, I apologize for my idiot brother. He doesn't seem to understand that not everyone appreciates being kissed by random strangers."

"Oh, so I'm a stranger? I thought we were friends," Korra said, raising an eyebrow.

"No," Mako said.

"So really, what you're saying is that you don't want to kiss me."

"Yes! I mean, no," Mako said. He tried to step back, but Bolin blocked him, driving him a little closer to Korra. "I mean—I'm really confused. What exactly is going on here?"

"I am tired of seeing you two dance around each other, so I'm giving you the perfect moment."

"And I am taking advantage of the moment."

Mako looked at Korra and then back at Bolin. "Wait, you're not trying to date Korra?"

"What?"

"Yeah," Bolin said, scratching his head. "What?"

"You two have spend a lot of time together."

"Because that means she gets to hang out with you," Bolin said. "Shut up, Korra, I know it's no my dazzling personality that keeps bringing you back."

"Traitor," Korra muttered.

"But you asked me what I thought of Korra as girlfriend material," Mako said. He cast a quick glance at Korra, who crossed her arms and smirked.

"I was dropping hints," Bolin said.

"Very badly, apparently," Korra said.

"I—uh—"

"Mako?"

"Yes, Korra?"

"You're an idiot." She had to reach up on her tiptoes to press her lips against his. To her disappointment, he did not kiss her back. When she stepped away, Mako was looking at her like she'd grown a third eye.

Slowly, his eyes shifted to the mistletoe that Bolin held barely above his head. When his eyes met Korra's, he was fighting a smile.

"Well, that was different than I expected."

"What was different?"

"I never expected you to be such a tame kisser."

Korra glared at him. "Maybe I didn't want to overwhelm you."

Mako stepped closer, placing his hands on Korra's waist. "Oh, you can try."

* * *

><p><strong>Let's face it guys, Mako would LOVE Batman if he were a modern day kid.<strong>

**Anyways, I cam up with this AU in reponse to a later prompt in this project (which I ended up writing first, go fig). Since nothing in this little drabble-thon follows a linear timeline, I decided it was okay to post this out of timeline too, but I did try to give some context. **

**It wasn't difficult to translate Mako's tragic backstory into modern day terms. And of course, Bolin had to butt in with his lovely sense of timing. Still haven't decided if Korra and Mako are both criminology students (Mako definitely is, but he's taking the semester off to earn money to pay for tuition, he, unlike a certain younger brother does not have a football scholarship) or if Korra is going more for a degree she could use as a social worker. I know for sure she wants to work with kids who've been victims of crime (anyone able to chime in on that one?), for reasons that will be explored in a later prompt (yes, I translated Korra's story to modern terms as well).**

**I know next to nothing about cheer or gymnastics, but it made sense to me that Korra would be into these if she ever was exposed. Plus she is SO competitive.**

**Enjoy!**


	11. Family

How Korra was so good with kids had always been a mystery to Mako. She had no siblings. Growing up, she'd been surrounded by adults. Yet, for as long as he'd known her, Korra was able to connect with all the tiny humans.

The bigger humans, of course, were a little harder.

Maybe it was because deep inside, his wife was still a kid at heart. Still, it never ceased to amuse him that she was the one that Opal and Bolin turned when they needed help with their daughter.

"Hey," Korra said, as she opened the apartment door. Her hair had been pulled into a short ponytail, keeping out of reach of chubby, grasping fingers. "You got my note."

Mako opened his mouth to speak, but Korra held a finger to her lips.

"She sleeping?" he whispered, eyeing the small bundle Korra cradled against her chest.

"No," Korra replied. "But Opal is."

Nodding, Mako entered the apartment, kicking off his shoes at the door. Sure enough, Opal was slumped over on the couch, her arm for a pillow. Pieces of her hair—which was splayed wildly across her face—fluttered as she snored softly. Mako couldn't help smiling.

"Should we move her?" Mako asked. "That doesn't look comfortable."

"I'm afraid to wake her. I'm not sure I could convince her to go back to sleep," Korra said, shifting their three-month-old niece from one arm to the other as she closed the door behind Mako. She released the handle slowly, the latch rasping quietly. "She kind of nodded off while we were talking. Thanks for picking up dinner."

"Of course."

Mako headed for his brother's kitchen. Korra followed close behind, rocking the whimpering infant. The motion lulled Naoko back in to complacency. The kitchen, which Mako knew Opal preferred to keep spotless, was not in the best shape. Understandably. . Naoko had obviously been a handful for the last couple of days. Dishes were piled in the sink. An attempt at breakfast sat half-prepared on the counter.

His niece would wait until her father was away on assignment to cause trouble. Up until now, she'd been a very happy baby. Obviously, she'd inherited his brother's jubilant temper. Apparently, she'd also inherited his sense of timing as well.

"I picked up some other groceries while I was at it," he said. "Is she alright?"

"Just colic, I think," Korra said, leaning against the counter as Mako stuck dinner in the icebox and started to put away the groceries. She sighed. "Opal said she didn't stop crying all night or most of today, but there's nothing wrong with her. I've checked. She just refuses to be put down."

"Well, we can let Opal sleep, I'm not hungry yet anyways," Mako said. "How long have you been here?"

"Since I got the message," Korra replied. She walked up and down, weaving around Mako as he filled the sink with water and soap. "A couple of hours maybe? You had Mommy all freaked out, didn't you, baby girl?" Naoko—or Koko as Bolin had started calling her—reached for the finger Korra waved in front of her nose, gurgling when she finally got hold of it. "Is that a smile? Looks like somebody finally feels better. Shh, let's let Mommy sleep, okay?"

Koko responded by getting drool all over Korra's knuckle.

Never one to stick around when she could get out of chores, Korra wandered back into the living room as Mako proceeded to tidy up.

Opal was still asleep by the time Mako finished.

He found Korra sitting in a beat up old armchair, the baby in her lap.

"Do you want me to take her for a little bit?" he asked, perching on the arm. The chair creaked, but held his weight.

Korra shook her head. "She's finally asleep," she whispered. Her thumb caressed the tiny fingers that still tightly grasped her own. Korra sighed.

Mako tucked a few loose strand of hair behind her ear, wishing he could see her face better. "Things have been calm for a while now."

Korra bit her lip. "Yeah, but that could change tomorrow."

"Things are always changing, Korra," Mako said. "If we wait for things to stop changing, we'll never have the chance to start our own family." They'd talked about this once or twice before. Never with any immediacy, just enough that he knew they were both on the same page as far as kids were concerned. They both wanted them, but they weren't in any hurry and with all of the craziness during the first year or so after their wedding, it just hadn't been a good idea. "I'm not saying that right now is the time, but if you still want kids, maybe we should start figuring things out."

"Of course I still want kids, Mako," Korra said. She sighed again, looking up at him. Her lip had angry tooth marks pressed into the flesh. Her eyes were a little red too. The contentment of a few minutes ago was completely gone. "But we don't even know if I can."

"Let's worry about that bridge if we come to it." Mako rubbed Korra's shoulder. "We don't know anything until we try."

"I know, but—"

A yawn from Opal interrupted the moment. The airbender sat up, stretching and rubbing at her eyes. "Oh, Korra I'm so sorry. I can't believe I fell asleep."

"It's fine." Korra smiled.

Opal leaned forward. "Is she asleep? Spirits, Korra, you're a miracle worker."

"Even a colicky baby knows better than to argue with the Avatar."

Mako chuckled. "I'll go heat up dinner."

Korra grabbed his hand. "We'll talk more after we get home, okay?"

"Okay."

* * *

><p><strong>Well, it started out cute and then it got serious real fast. <strong>

**I find the question of whether or not being poisoned would affect Korra's ability to have kids and intriguing one. Which I explore a little more in depth as part of another fic that I'm working on (it's a short one, I've finished I just need to edit it-I know i keep saying that). Obviously, I'm an optimist, so my answer is yes, but I would imagine that it would be source of some trepidation for Korra if she knew about it.**

**For those of you trying to place on the timeline, this happens about two years after Mako and Korra got married, which means it's been nine or ten months since the conclusion of the events in the Giving Up arc (Chapters 6 and 7, so far).**

**Enjoy!**


	12. Nightmares

Korra was no longer sure who she was fighting. She thought it was Amon, but then it was her uncle and then it shifted rapidly from Tarrlok to Ghazan to Ming Hua to Kuvira.

No, it wasn't a single foe. It was all of them. And time was running out.

But for what? What was so important?

"Give up," the voice said.

Korra felt like she'd been doused with water from the South Sea.

"Give in."

She turned to run, but her legs gave out, numb from hip to toe. Korra didn't stop; she crawled on her elbows away from the voice.

"How did you expect to save anyone, when you can't even save yourself?"

Something hit the ground hard behind her. It was a body. It was always a body. Some nights it was hers, but other nights...It was like fighting against an undertow. Korra didn't want to look, but the harder she fought it, the stronger the pull got.

Her legs still dead weight, Korra pulled herself—or was pulled—around to see brown eyes staring lifelessly back at her on the ground.

"No," she whispered.

She woke with a soft gasp, her body jerking upright of its own volition. Korra held her breath, waiting for the husky voice to say her name. Mako didn't stir.

Korra nearly reached out, just to make sure that he was still warm and breathing. However, it was a miracle that he wasn't awake already—he was a light sleeper—and this was the third night in a row that the dreams had woken her.

At least she hadn't been screaming this time.

For several minutes she listened, matching her breaths with his, proud that they were not ragged gasps. Then she carefully pushed the covers back and got out of bed. She doubted she was getting anymore sleep tonight and she'd just wake him with her tossing and turning.

Their living room was dark and full of threatening shapes. She knew which was the couch and which was the lamp and which was the table with its mountain of paperwork—the only true monster in her life this week.

The cushions gave beneath her as Korra sat, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She seriously missed getting a full night's sleep. Logically, she wasn't surprised that the nightmares had returned. On top of today being the anniversary of the Red Lotus attack, she'd gotten into a tussle with a very determined assassin last week. The joys of being the Avatar who took down the Great Uniter.

Logic didn't make three sequential nights of terrors any less frustrating though. Nor would it make tomorrow any easier when the world expected a fully awake Avatar to tackle their problems.

Korra felt as wired as if she'd just come out of the Avatar State, though. With a soft groan, she collapsed back on the couch. Maybe in a minute she'd have calmed down enough to focus on some of the paperwork on the table.

"Korra?"

Their bedroom door opened and her husband appeared, his hair sticking up in odd directions. His bedhead was a constant source of amusement for Korra. Not tonight though.

Korra sighed. "Did I wake you? Sorry."

"Nah," Mako said. "Bad dreams."

"Oh." Swinging her feet back to the ground, she made room for him.

Mako turned on the lamp before joining her on the couch.

"Zaheer?" he asked.

Korra gaped at him. "How..."

"I was a detective, Korra," he said. He put his arms around, pulling her in tightly. Mako took one long breath in, his ribcage moving against hers as he slowly released it. "If you think I will ever forget what day today is, you don't know me at all." The crack in his voice told Korra everything she needed to know about his dreams tonight.

Korra turned, wrapping her arms around him, inhaling the sooty, spicy scent that was Mako.

"We should go back to bed," he said.

"I don't think I'll be able to get back to sleep." She pushed away from him. "You should though. I know Beifong was looking forward to torturing you tomorrow. I think she misses having you on the force."

Mako laughed. "Beifong can torture me another time," he said. "I have White Lotus business to attend to."

Korra rolled her eyes. "You make that sound so dirty."

"Korra! I just—I meant I'm not going to let you stay up all by yourself."

"Oh, even more promising," she said. Straddling him, she silenced his next flustered protest with a kiss.

Bad dreams never seemed to affect Mako the way they did her. When the dreams came, they didn't let her fall back asleep. Either she was too wired to get back to sleep or the dreams jolted her back awake every time she closed her eyes. Mako could roll over and go straight back to sleep.

She knew he was as exhausted as she was. It was a little ridiculous for both of them to stay up three nights in a row, but she loved him for it.

"I mean, if you're going to be stubborn, we might as well make the most of our time," she said.

Mako rested his hands on her hips. "So you're saying we should put a dent in all that paperwork."

Korra glanced back at the table. She still had several dozen pieces of business to finish after their latest trip to Ba Sing Se.

Sighing as loudly as she could, Korra stood. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Spirits, Korra, I was teasing."

Korra leaned in, placing both hands on his shoulders. "Duty calls."

"That's it," Mako said, grinning wickedly. "Call the president. I am officially kidnapping the Avatar." He bent over, hoisting Korra over his shoulder as she shrieked, giggling.

"Mako, put me down," she cried.

He complied, dumping her on the bed. "Don't worry, I'll let you go eventually."

"Mmmm," Korra whispered, pulling him close. "How about never?"

"Never works for me too."

* * *

><p><strong>This was written before episode 4x09 Beyond the Wilds (Oh, uh, spoiler alert), but even with what happened between Korra and Zaheer and her finally getting past the block that he represented, I think this holds true. I think this may end up being something that affects Korra for the rest of her life, especially after other traumatic events (let's face it, being the Avatar is stressful and dangerous) and when anniversaries of certain events come up. Many people end up dealing with PTSD for years and years and while I think we've seen the last or nearly the last of Korra's fight with Zaheer hindering her from doing her job, I think it would still affect her subconsciously at times.<strong>

**That said, you may have noticed I changed the summary. I'd forgotten that I originally though this was story was probably going to be all fluff. That did not happen, so I've changed the summary to reflect that. Thanks Dreamer for pointing that out to me. Maybe this counts as fluff? Kind of? Even if Zaheer's involved.**

**I've got more coming your way. I kind made the Makorra 100 Themes project my NaNo porject, so...I wrote a lot for it. I'm hoping to complete all one hundred, but I should get the ones I've written edited first. (I'm spoiling y'all, aren't I?)**

**Enjoy!**


	13. Passion

Sparring with Mako had definitely gotten a lot more difficult since they got married.

We'll not the sparring part, but concentrating? Concentrating was definitely harder.

"That all you got?" he asked, dodging her latest attack. "You can throw in the other elements if you're feeling tired."

"Not even close," Korra replied, definitely not paying attention to the line of sweat that trickled down the side of his face and neck and slipped beneath the fabric of his shirt. "I can kick your ass just fine using only fire." To prove her point, Korra unleashed a flurry of attacks, driving Mako back across the airbenders' training area.

Mako struck back, turning Korra's flames against her. He was getting way too close. She ducked, spinning to put space between them. He growled. Korra laughed and winked at him.

"Not holding back, I hope."

"Never."

He rushed her, telegraphing his movements so loudly he might as well have shouted. Korra knew he wanted her to duck away again. Rather than find out what trap he was trying to spring, Korra met him head on, catching his fist in her palm and extinguishing the flames. Smirking, she met his eyes.

The smile fell from her face. Mako was not supposed to look at her that way in public places. Because technically, this was a public place, even if there was no audience today.

Their little apartment, chosen for its location near center of the city, had had an unfortunate spider rat infestation shortly after they returned from their honeymoon. Tenzin had generously offered to let them stay on the Island while the building was fumigated. Which was why they'd spent the last four days going through their morning sparring session on the Island, instead of at their usual gym. The other inhabitants of the Island found these sessions entertaining enough to observe on occasion. She liked to think that she and Mako provided a pretty decent show. Especially when they were in a bantering mood—they usually were.

"You're not supposed to look at me that way here," she muttered.

"What way?" he asked, his voice breathy.

In answer, Korra spun, flipping Mako over her shoulder. He grabbed her as he fell, pulling her down with him. They landed, a pile of elbows and knees. Korra's teeth clicked painfully together, barely missing her tongue.

"Ow. Korra."

"Don't 'Korra' me, Mr. Grab Hands," she said.

"I didn't—"

Korra took his hand—which was currently on her butt—and moved it up to her waist. "Anybody could see us, Officer."

Mako huffed. "You are impossible."

"Nice to know I'm not the only one being distracted."

Her husband blushed so badly, his ears turned red. "Is it that obvious," he muttered.

Korra raised her eyebrows. "Like this? Yes." A quick glance proved that they were alone. Stealing a quick kiss wouldn't hurt.

Only it wasn't quick. Their lips met and sparks flew between them. Korra shifted on top of him, straddling him. His hands were everywhere and Korra didn't want to think anymore. Time seemed to stop around them.

"Wait," Korra said, pushing Mako away. They were covered in grit, their training gear scattered all over the yard. Raking her fingers through her hair as she sat up, Korra let out a long breath. "Tenzin will kill us."

With a sigh, Mako got to his feet and started picking up his gear. His tank top was covered in sweat and dirt and stuck to his torso in all the right places. Korra found she completely lacked the motivation to move.

"Are you going help?"

"Just admiring the view," she said. "Which would be much better if you'd take that shirt off."

"Korra…" His eyes narrowed. "What are you thinking?"

Scrambling to her feet, she grabbed his arm. "Come on."

Korra dragged him past the air ball field, towards the small copse of trees that adorned the Island. As soon as a few feet separated them from the treeline, Mako reached for her, pinning her against a tree. Heat and friction was already thick between them. Korra wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him closer. Mako moaned, trailing his kisses across her jaw and down her neck.

"We should…"

"Yeah," she gasped.

Stumbling, they headed deeper into the little forest. There was a rock formation that had been a favorite place for them back a long time ago. The first time around, when everything about their relationship had been brand new and a little bit forbidden. Every few feet, they halted, giving in to the urge to touch and kiss and tease for a few minutes.

They stumbled into the little clearing, so thoroughly engrossed in each other that at first they didn't notice that they weren't alone.

"JInora?"

The young airbender was tangled up on the ground with Kai, both of them—thankfully—fully-clothed. Jinora shrieked, jumping away from Kai. Her boyfriend blushed furiously as he stood, brushing off his flying suit and doubling checking each button.

Mako and Korra looked at each other, both of them just as red as the younger couple. One look was all it took.

Jinora tugged at a lock of her hair. "We, um, were just going." She grabbed Kai's hand and tried to get past Mako and Korra.

"Not so fast," Mako said, catching hold of the back of Kai's flying suit. "You, with me. Now." Leaving Jinora with Korra, he hauled Kai off into the woods. The boy followed rather meekly.

"Don't—"

"Oh no, you're all mine."

"What?" Jinora crossed her arms, glaring up at Korra. "We were just kissing."

"Looked like a little more than kissing to me."

"And?"

"And you know how your parents feel about this stuff."

"It's not like we were actually having sex," Jinora said. Her eyes flicked back and forth between Korra and the ground several times, before she folded into herself. Biting her lip, she glanced up at Korra. "Are you guys going to tell my dad, because if you do that it'll be years before he lets Kai within a hundred feet of me and we were just messing around, I swear. We wouldn't have actually done anything. I mean, I still plan on waiting."

Korra held up her hand, trying not to laugh at how flustered the normally unruffled airbender was.

"Okay, Jinora, I believe you, but does Kai know that?"

"What?"

"Have you talked with Kai about the fact that you want to wait?"

Jinora blinked. "No, I—we, um haven't really talked about that stuff."

Korra took a step, popping a rough bench out of the ground. She sat, patting the space next to her. Eyeing Korra like she was an elephant rat sneaking up on a moose lion, Jinora perched on the edge of the little rock formation.

"You've been dating for over a year. Don't you think that's important?" Korra asked. "Just to make sure you're on the same page."

"I guess I never thought about it," Jinora said. She twisted her hands in her lap.

"Your mom has talked with you about this kind of stuff, right? I don't need to give you the buzzard wasps and the scorpion bees, do I?" She knew Tenzin was a little—squeamish—when it came to this kind of stuff, but surely Pema would have talked with Jinora years ago.

Jinora blushed even more brightly. "Oh my gosh. No, Korra, I know. Okay? I know."

"Well, that's a relief."

"I can't believe you're lecturing me on this," Jinora huffed. "Like you're one to talk."

"I—What that's supposed to mean?"

The airbender smirked. "My room used to be right down the hall from yours, Korra. I used to hear you when you snuck out…Although, you _were_ more subtle this time around."

Squaring her shoulders and trying to ignore her burning cheeks, Korra said, "That's because we did wait this time around."

Jinora gaped at Korra. "What? Really?"

Korra laughed. "Yes, really." Korra leaned back. "We thought it was more important to make sure we connected mentally and emotionally before we…complicated things with sex. And believe me, sex complicates things." Fixing her eyes on Jinora, she continued, "I'm not saying it was easy, but we talked about it—we made sure we were both aware of each other's expectations."

Jinora nodded. "That makes sense, I guess, but—" The younger girl sighed, hugging herself and turning her face away from Korra.

"Jinora, what?"

"It's stupid."

"Try me."

"What if Kai doesn't want to wait?"

Korra placed her hand on Jinora's shoulder, turning the airbender back to her. "Is it important to you?"

"Yes."

Korra waited a heartbeat before answering her friend. Jinora met her gaze and for a moment, Korra felt like she was looking at the little girl she'd met nearly five years ago. Funny how fear did that to you.

"Then if Kai loves you, he'll understand," Korra said. "If he doesn't, well—" Korra exhaled, slowly, she didn't want to say what she needed to say. "No boy is worth being untrue to yourself, Jinora. No matter how much you love him."

"Is that why you broke up with Mako the first time?"

Korra shook her head. "No," she said, sliding her arm around the girl's shoulders. "We broke up because we were young and hot-headed and we gave up too soon."

"It still worked out pretty well in the end though."

"Yes it did."

"Thanks, Korra."

They hugged, Korra ruffling Jinora's hair as they pulled apart.

"Just promise me you'll talk to your mom or to me if you ever change your mind," Korra said. "And if you want to stick with it, I'd avoid making out with your boyfriend in secluded places."

Jinora scoffed, rolling her eyes as she turned to go. "Please, Korra, I have self-control."

"Oh, trust me, it's the ones that are all uptight and in control of themselves that you have to watch." She winked at Jinora. "Just ask your mom if you don't believe me."

The girl gave Korra an odd look, her face rapidly changing to disgust as the words processed. "What—Ew. Korra. That's my _dad_ your talking about." Hands over her ears, Jinora ran off while Korra laughed.

Not long after the airbender was out of sight, Mako reappeared. He paused, leaning against a tree one eyebrow raised.

"What did you say to Jinora?"

"Oh, nothing important." Korra stood, returning the little bench back into the ground before going to her husband.

"We're not telling Tenzin, are we?" he asked as he snaked his arms around her waist, closing the space between them.

"She's almost sixteen," Korra said. "Old enough to make her own decisions about these kinds of things—though, maybe I should find a way to casually warn Pema. Just in case." Korra tighted her arms around his neck. "Now," she said, close enough that her lips brushed against his. "Where were we?"

"I believe we were heading back to our room, because we are adults and no longer hormonal teenagers."

"Oh, but we can pretend, can't we Mako?"

"You're impossible."

Korra shivered as he traced his fingers up her spine, cradling her head and kissing her. Her fingers brushed against the fabric of his tank top as they deepened the kiss.

"Seriously," she muttered. "This shirt has got to go."

"If the lady insists." Mako let go of her, reaching for the hem of his shirt.

"Oh my—Korra! Mako!"

They both froze, Mako's shirt caught around his head. He nearly smacked Korra in his haste to put it back on.

"What exactly do you two think you are doing?" Tenzin demanded, glaring first at Korra and then at Mako.

"I should think that's obvious," she said. Then she caught sight of an impish-looking Pema standing a little further back. She grinned. "The real question is, what are you doing?"

Even Tenzin's bald head turned tomato red at that. Pema lost it, bursting into giggles as she braced herself against a tree. "We were just looking…for somewhere…with some peace and quiet."

Korra smirked. "In what is apparently the top make-out spot on the island?"

Tenzin stuck his nose in the air and straightened his robes. "Korra, who do you think discovered this spot?"

Pema gasped, wiping her eyes. "Your brother, probably."

Tenzin shot his wife a look, which only made her laugh harder, holding her sides.

Laughing as well, Korra took Mako's hand—he was currently too busy staring purposefully at the ground to be of much use—and hauled him off. "We'll leave you two to your 'quiet time'."


	14. Dance

This was ridiculous.

Of all the days Wu could have gotten himself captured, it had to be today and it had to be because Mako hadn't followed him to the bathroom. The logical part of his brain knew that if he'd been with Wu, he might be dead now. Another logical part of his brain realized that whoever had done this had probably been banking on him being distracted by Korra.

But seriously, could he not have just this one day?

He'd stuck to Wu like sticky sap. Figuratively wiped the guy's ass, keeping him happy, making sure he was safe. Was it too much to ask for just one moment to reconnect with—an old friend?

Yes, of course it was. They were searching a train because the pampered, self-centered little wanker couldn't stay in his room for a few hours.

And on top of that Korra was pissed at him. What right did she have to be pissed at him? He wrote her. Every week for a year, he wrote her. Did she expect him to just be okay with how she ignored him? That was so like Korra. Just barge right on ahead, with no consideration of the past or the future.

For all he knew, she hadn't sensed Wu's spiritual energy and was just going with her gut feeling, like always.

"How do you know for sure that he's here?" Mako asked as they searched yet another compartment. This was the third one. They were running out of train.

Korra shrugged. "I don't. But I had a feeling, okay?"

"And I'm just supposed to trust your Avatar feelings?" The minute he said it, he knows he's gone too far. But Mako wasn't not sure he cared. After three years, maybe he was done worrying about what will offend her.

Korra whirled, stopping Mako short. She's angry, but he didn't see her.

He saw a different girl. A girl with her hair pulled back, who won't look anyone in the eye.

That girl was not Korra. This was Korra, eyes flashing, not afraid to glare up at him. Calling him out, even when he's not sure she had the right to anymore.

"You wouldn't have to if you had guarded the prince like you were supposed to."

People around them are looking up from their tea and their newspapers, none of them recognizing the girl in dark blue with the short hair. But Mako recognizes her as he rises up to meet her.

"Oh, so it's my fault Wu disappeared?" he demands, following Korra and Asami into the luggage compartment

Korra turns on him again, leaning forward. "It's certainly not mine!"

Mako's eyes meet hers and for a moment, they aren't on the train moving from one car to another. They are in front of the pro-bending arena. She feels it too; he can tell by the way she hesitates, mouth half open.

Then Asami shushes them.

But the moment happened. This is their dance. They've taken the first steps. It might be a long buried routine, but a part of them has fallen into sync once again.

Mako only wonders if maybe they'll have the patience to see the dance to the end this time.


	15. Waking Up: Giving Up Pt 3

Mako is surprised by how quickly he got used to waking up next to Korra again. It was only recently gotten used to waking up alone, but it hadn't even taken one day for him to expect to find her next to him in the morning.

Which is why waking up along is so disconcerting. For several brief moments, he thinks it has all been a beautiful, horrible dream. Then he hears the sound of the shower and Naga snuffling softly as she slept at the end of the bed.

Korra is still here.

"Hey, girl," he says to the polar bear dog as she opens one eye and thumps her tail. Giving the giant animal a good scratch behind the ear, he heads for the bathroom.

He wishes he knew how long it will be before he stops expecting Korra to disappear again.

Maybe, if she'd run off during a fight, this whole thing would be easier for him. But Korra left with no warning. They'd been in a good place—or so Mako had thought.

Still, there's always that heart stopping moment when he comes home every day. He doesn't know which is worse, how he braces himself to find her gone again or the relief that wells up every time he opens that door and finds her there. For now, at least, Korra made a point of getting home before him when their days took them separate ways.

A small voice says Korra would want to know about these small moments, but he knows they would hurt her. She was already repentant enough and now that he understands why she left—well, he can't say that he wouldn't have done the same thing in her shoes.

"Oh, good, you're up," Korra says, peeking around the shower curtain. She gives him a broad grin, a line of shampoo running down her forehead, forcing her keep one eye closed. "Sorry, I didn't wake you, but I wanted to get in the shower before you took over the bathroom."

Mako rolls his eyes, grabbing his toothbrush and turning the sink on. "I am not that bad."

A moment later, the water stops and Korra pushes the curtain back, wringing the water out of her hair before bending the rest of it dry.

Grabbing her towel, she stands on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "Morning," she says. "Don't take too long. We don't want to be late for Ikki's ceremony."

Mako mumbles something in the affirmative as he finishes with his teeth and turns the shower back on. True to form, Korra saved most of the hot water for him. He's always liked his showers scalding hot, while she prefers tepid water. He smiles at how easily the old routines have come back to them. Hopefully, it will be a very long time before he ever has to deal with Korra being gone again.

They've talked of course, that was one of the first things they did. About her leaving, about her coming back. Her staying with him had been all over the tabloids by noon that next day. Not early enough, however, to avoid her having a very awkward conversation with the chief.

He'd woken to the sound of Korra answering their phone.

"Hello? No, this is Mako's apartment. Lin, it's me. Yes. No, he's still asleep, is it urgent? Yes, I'm aware what time it is. Okay, I'll tell him." There's a very long pause. "Yes, Lin. I'm staying."

She'd reappeared in the doorway a few moments later, wearing one of his white tank tops. Smiling, she crawled under the covers and molded herself to him.

"Am I in trouble?"

"I don't think so." Korra sighed, snuggling closer. "She probably called to berate you for calling in earlier. And then she heard my voice and got offended for me, until she realized that it was me. Last she said about you was that after last night, she agreed that I should probably have someone looking out for me for the next couple of days. So you're off the hook I think. Me, though...not so much." She pressed her face into his chest, taking a long, deep breath. "Mako, I am so sorry."

"Hey," he said. "It's okay."

Korra nodded. "I love you. Always."

"I love you too. Always."

It had taken them a couple of days to really hash things out, but they'd agreed that they'd both try to be more open about their feelings. No more blindsides. No more holding guilt in. Mako hadn't asked Korra to promise not to leave again; he'd only asked that she talk it out with him first. That she give him a part in that decision. He trusts she'll at least do that, but he still has a hard time believing her when she tells him she's staying.

"How fancy are we getting for this thing?" he asks as he steps out of the shower. There's no answer from their bedroom. "Korra?" Towel around his waist, Mako peeks out the bedroom door. She's there. The box of clothes that arrived with Naga yesterday sits next to her. Last night, she hadn't bothered to open it, but all of her other formal clothes are in there, so of course she's opened it how.

At first, he thinks it's one of her dresses draped across her lap as she stares at something in her hand.

Mako's eyes widen when he realizes it's his White Lotus uniform. Day to day, he never wore a uniform. Not even when he traveled officially with Korra. This one is for formal occasions. Like today. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sighs. He never should have sent that to the South Pole. The move had been meant to make Korra angry. He'd done it out of bitterness and hurt and he regretted it later, but by that time it had been too late to get the package back.

Korra's eyes flick in his direction, but she avoids his gaze. Naga whines, looking from Korra to him. _Why is my human say?_ the dog's big, brown eyes ask.

"It's alright, girl," he says, patting the polar bear dog's head. "Korra? Is everything okay?" He reaches out, tucking the curtain of hair behind her ear.

"I'm so sorry," she says. Korra doubles over, pressing the uniform to her face. Her voice is muffled, "You have to believe me, I am so sorry."

"Hey, none of that," he says, dumping the uniform on the floor and drawing her to him.

"I won't do it again. I promise, I won't do it again."

"I know." Gently, he rubs her back, the tiny loops in the towel catching at the callouses on his fingers. "I know."

Her arms tighten around him. "Mako, I'm so-"

"Korra, stop. No more apologies," he says, pressing his lips to her cheek. "I forgive you."

She breathes in a broken, choking gasp.

He realizes that he hasn't told her that yet. No, he doesn't quite trust her. He knows his wife. Korra would make a thousand personal sacrifices to spare someone she loves the same pain. For now, he has to decide that her words are true. Every day. Until he believes they are the truth.

Korra swallows, pulling away from him and reaching to wipe the tears away. Mako takes both her hands.

"Look at me please," he asks.

Korra takes a deep breath and meets his eyes. She has her lip between her teeth, biting down so hard he's afraid she'll draw blood. Gently, he smoothes his thumb over her lower lip, coaxing her to release it.

"Korra, I won't lie to you," he says.

"I wish I could tell you that everything is fine." He presses his forehead to hers. "I won't, because it's not true. It's—it's going to be a while before some part of me isn't waiting for you to leave again. But I do believe you, Korra. Because I know you and I know why you did it." Taking her face in his hands, brushes the tears away and kisses her softly. "And I forgive you, Korra. For this and for everything that comes after. Always."

Mako isn't sure what to expect. Half of him is convinced she'll cry some more. And there are tears in her eyes as she throws herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck as they both fall back. She holds him tightly and kisses him with such force that he doesn't know what to do for a minute. He definitely hadn't been expecting that.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he deepens the kiss, refusing to break away until breathing becomes absolutely necessary.

"Ceremony," he whispers.

Korra groans and rolls away from him, running her fingers through her hair. Readjusting her towel, she sits up and starts rummaging through the box again.

He finds he's a little frustrated with the airbenders' preference for early morning events.

Something small and smooth presses against his palm as he pushes himself up. His White Lotus tile. He leaves it there for now. He'll pick it up before he leaves. Instead, he pick his uniform up and shakes it out.

"So this for today?" he asks.

Korra looks up at him. "Mako, you don't have to..."

"Yes, I do," he says. "I never should have given them up."

"I don't blame you."

"I know." He reaches inside the box, pulling out the pants and shirt that went underneath the jacket. "But I shouldn't have sent them away. Maybe if I'd kept them, maybe I would owned up to my own part sooner."

"What?"

"We both made mistakes in this," he said. "Yours was keeping all this to yourself. Mine was ignoring every vow I'd made and choosing to not go after you. It's my fault we took so long to work things out."

Korra shakes her head. "I don't think I would have listened then." Standing she kisses him lightly, resting her head against his chest. "I probably would have just run further."

"Nah," he says. "You would have shouted and I would have shouted and then your parents would have kicked both of our asses outside before we wrecked the house."

She laughs. And Mako is even more annoyed by the fact that they have somewhere to be today. All he wants is spend all day making her laugh like that. Because when she laughs like that, it's like the weight of the world lifts off her shoulders and she's just a normal woman. No. Scratch that, Korra will never be normal. Not to him.

"And then?" she asks.

"And then we would have yelled more, probably. A lot more."

"Ah," she says. She finally pulls a dress out from underneath her other clothes, shaking it out. "And then?" she asks again, without looking at him.

"And then…" He sighs. "And then I would have told you I loved you."

Korra nods. In the end, that's what they always come back to. They love each other. Apart, they may be formidable, but together, they are stronger.

They dress in silence. He helps her do up the back of her dress. She grimaces at the amount of hair grease he uses. He hands her hairpins as she puts her hair up. She brushes an imaginary speck of dust off the sleeve of his uniform.

"I'm surprised this doesn't have scorch marks," he teases, smiling down at her.

Korra slides her arms around him, pressing her nose to his chest and inhaling deeply. "It smelled like you."

Mako feels like he's waking up for the second time that day. At last, he believes her. He wraps her in his embrace, pressing his nose to her hair and breathing in the scent of her shampoo.

Korra lets out a breathy laugh. "I know that's incredibly lame."

"I don't really have much room to talk," Mako says. "I used your shampoo while you were gone."

"Really?"

"Yes," Mako says.

Her lips meet his, soft and slow this time. Their hands twining at their sides, because Tenzin would definitely disapprove if they showed up with mussed hair. Still, they manage to press away all the space between their bodies. A car horn honks outside, someone down the hall shouts, but they push the noise away easily.

"We should go," Korra whispers.

"Yeah."

She backs away, keeping hold of one of his hands. "Don't worry, we'll be back here before you know it." She smirks. "After all, the one good thing about having the ceremony so early in the day is that we'll have the whole rest of the day to ourselves."

"I might hold you to that," he says.

Korra holds up her free hand. "Absolutely. You can count on it, officer. Avatar's promise."

* * *

><p><strong>Ugh. I'm going to have to write a "Mako messes things up" fic at some point. So far, I have not done his beautifully flawed character justice. He's always so perfect and mature in my fics. <strong>

**For the record, I do not think he's perfect. I just think he's perfect for Korra. If they can make it past the first few years, I think there's would be one of those relationships where they just kind of sync together. Like, entire conversations with just one look, sync together. They remind me a lot of my own parents when I think of their relationship. My parents fought a bit when I was little (which was great for me in my opinion, I now expect to buttheads with whoever my future husband is), but now they've definitely mellowed and settled into a routine. I see Mako and Korra fighting over big things, like her safety and just what his job entails (if we go with the White Lotus future), but I also see him backing her up and them being really close.**

**Let me know if you liked it! I'm still debating if this storyline is wrapped up or if I should give it one more chapter...Just depends on if another chapter fits any of the themes, I guess.**


	16. Overnight

Korra hadn't meant to stay overnight at the mansion. After all the drama that had gone down today, she felt like maybe the three of them needed sometime apart. She definitely needed time apart. The ime to adjust to how her friends have changed in the last three years. It had been so strange. None of it had gone as she expected.

But when Korra wakes with a start, a scream of frustration bursting from her lips, she knows she isn't back the Air Temple. She is at Asami's, or at least that's what she assumes. She has a more pressing worry on her mind.

She can't feel her legs. For a panicked moment, she thinks the dream has triggered some kind of relapse. They move though, when she tells them to, swinging them over the side of the bed. The soles of her feet hit to cool floor and the spell is broken.

"Korra!"

The door to her bedroom bursts open, Mako stumbling into her room, a fire dagger blazing in his fist. His eyes scan the room before finally resting on her.

"I'm okay," Korra says, though she feels far from it. Her skin is sweaty and cold. Her breathing is ragged, though she's trying desperately to control it. The curtains are open at least, so the ornate furniture does not loom at her.

Slowly, Mako rises from his crouch, hands lowering to his sides.

"Bad dream?" he asks.

Korra nods.

She gets up. Sitting still is impossible, she needs to feel her muscles working. She needs to know that she needs to know that it was_ just_ a dream.

"I'm sorry if I woke you."

Mako shrugs. "I was already awake. Been burning the midnight oil with Asami."

Korra stops, looking at him. He still wears in the uniform he's been wearing all day. His hair is a little disheveled, it has been since they had to chase Wu's kidnappers down. He looks tired.

"Korra," he asks. "Are you sure you're okay? Do you want to talk about it?" He glances behind him. "Or I could go get Asami, if you'd rather talk to her."

The way he offers to get Asami is so open, no hint of resentment. He watches her earnestly. She almost tells him everything. Almost starts from the beginning and tells him everything she wanted to put in all those letters she didn't write. But that would mean telling him everything. And after today, she's not sure that's sure such a good idea. She doesn't want to explain that seeing him again hasn't changed things the way she wanted it to.

"I'm fine," Korra says. "I just-I dreamed I couldn't walk. It freaked me out a little."

Mako nods, his eyes following her for a moment as she paces across the room.

"How did I get in here anyways?"

"You fell asleep after dinner," Mako replies. "I brought you up here."

"Oh."

Korra remembers Asami staying for dinner. She remembers suffering through the meal with Mako's family while Wu made eyes at her across the table and charmed Grandma Yin. She'd known she was tired when she sat down to talk with Asami and Mako. She doesn't remember falling asleep.

"I should get back," she says. "Tenzin and Pema will worry."

"We already called them," Mako says. "It's too late to go back now."

Korra pauses. Her nerves jitter. She's not going to be sleeping anytime soon.

"Thanks."

Mako crosses his arms, studying her again. "Too wired to sleep?"

"Yeah."

"Courtyard. Five minutes."

"What?"

"Just meet me there." Mako turns on his heel, disappearing down the hall.

Korra waits a long moment, before grabbing her boots and padding down the hall.

Mako wasn't kidding about Asami staying up late. Korra sees the light shining underneath the door to Asami's study as she slips down the stairs. Outside is pleasant, she'd forgotten how mild the weather could be near Republic City. Nothing like the sweltering humidity of the swamp or the dry heat around Zaofu.

She's just finished pulling on her boots when she hears the door close softly behind her.

"Catch," Mako calls.

Korra turns in time to see him toss a probending helmet at her. Despite herself, she grins.

"Just like old times?"

Mako returns her smile. "Yeah. A little." He brushes past her.

Again, Korra waits for the buzz of nerves that used to accompany every bit of physical contact she had with Mako. Even after the break up, just a simple touch was enough to make her skin tingle.

Not tonight. Not earlier either.

It's not that being around him is unpleasant. She's missed him. She feels safe and comfortable. And despite the fact that she has so many bigger things to worry about, she misses that spark. It's been missing since she woke to life in a wheelchair. Just like that, it was gone. She'd hoped that now that she was better, now that she felt she could look him in the eye again, maybe that part of her would be back.

"So what'll it be?"

"What?"

"What's your element tonight, oh mighty Avatar," he asks. One corner of his mouth twitches up as he eases into a fighting stance, his shoes scraping against stone. "And no cheating."

"Well, no water, so I guess it'll be fire."

Mako grins. "I hoped you'd say that."

He doesn't wait until she's ready. The moment she slips the helmet on, Mako attacks. Korra jumps out of the way, unleashing a wave of fire to counteract his attack. The two waves of fire flash against each other. Mako ducks under Korra's next attack.

"So," she says, "What were you and Asami up working on?"

"What?" Mako falters, barely righting himself in time to keep from falling flat on his face.

"You and Asami. What's going on that has you up so late?"

Mako throws a couple of fire punches, they fly wide. "Just figuring out how we're going to handle Wu staying here. We had to hash something out with the chief." Mako catches her next attack, bending it away from him. "You know there's nothing going on between us, right?"

"I know." Somewhere inside of her, a small part of her is pleased. Not that she'd have any right to be jealous if Mako and Asami had picked things back up. Three years is a long time.

Korra ducks, barely missing a fireball in the face.

Mako sends her counterattack back at her. "Why didn't you write me?"

"You want to bring this up now?"

"Do you want me to wait until we're busy?"

Korra growls. "I don't know, okay? It's not like there was much to tell."

"We still would have liked to hear from you. Just to know how you were doing."

Korra spun quickly, tracking Mako, redirecting the next wave of fire he sent at her.

"What was I supposed to say. 'Hi, Mako. Guess what, it's snowing the South Pole. And I'm still in this fucking wheelchair'?"

"That would have been nice," he said. His attacks became a flurry, driving Korra back further and further. Finally, he got close enough that could grab Korra, tapping her helmet. "Match."

Frustrated, Korra yanked the helmet off and threw it on the ground. "That's not fair."

"Did you want me to go easy on you?" he asked.

Korra blinked. Three years apart and he could still read her so well. "No, I guess not."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Nothing, I—" Korra sighed, rubbing her eyes. She felt worn out now. This had been a pretty good idea. "I'm sorry I didn't write, I just...I thought it would be easier. I didn't—It was hard enough to have my parents see me like that, to know how hard everything was. I guess I didn't want you to think I was weak."

Mako sighs, pulling his helmet off. "I'd never think that, Korra."

"I know," she says. "But it's hard to think that way when you're stuck in a wheelchair. I was afraid—" Korra bites her lip. She'd almost blown the whole thing and told him she was afraid he wouldn't want her anymore. After all, the girl she'd been when she left for the South Pole was a far cry from the energetic person he'd fallen for. And now… "I was afraid, that's all."

"I understand," Mako says. "Next time, don't be." He glances up at the sky; the moon is starting it's downward arc. It must be well after midnight. "I'd better go check on Wu one more time and then get some sleep. I'm not sure how he's going to survive without his seaweed wrap, but I'll need my energy if I'm going to keep from killing him. My guess is he's bouncing off the walls by noon tomorrow."

"Maybe you should try some of this with him tomorrow."

"Uh, I'm not—"

"Not the bending, but maybe you could try teaching him how to not get kidnapped."

"That's actually a pretty great idea. Thanks, Korra."

"You're welcome," Korra says. "I think I'll sit out here for a bit."

Mako takes Korra's helmet from her, but he doesn't leave. He stares at her and she knows she should feel something, but the only thing she wants is to shrink away. Mako sighs. Stuffing her helmet under one arm, he rests his hand on Korra's shoulder.

"Korra, I know being stuck in that chair would have killed you." He pauses, his eyes searching hers. "But for the record, I never cared about the wheelchair. Even if you'd been stuck in that thing for the rest of your life, you would still be the strongest person I know."

Deep inside her, Korra feels a crack split through the deadness. A small ember, bursting into flame. Mako smiles, his fingers leaving trails of heat on her skin as he lets go and heads inside.

Just like that, everything about them that had been out of focus shifts back into focus. Yesterday, was it really just yesterday that she came back—she'd been afraid that everything between them was dead. Yesterday, she hadn't been sure that would be a bad thing. Today, she could feel all the possibilities opening up again.

Korra hadn't meant to stay overnight at the mansion, but she was kind of glad she had.

* * *

><p><strong>Ugh. Korra, what have you done? Mako obviously has no idea how to teach self defense.<strong>

**This one was a bit weird, I had this idea, but I couldn't figure out what I really wanted it to be about. Plus, I wrote it before 'Remembrances' and 'Beyond the Wilds' so I had to adjust some things.**

**Anyways. Hope you enjoyed it!**


	17. Screams

Korra had just reached the floor her apartment was on when she heard the screams.

High-pitching, burbling screams.

They stopped abruptly, only to pick up again higher and louder. There was no question, the screams were coming from her apartment.

Korra smiled.

She would recognize the sound of her daughter's giggles anywhere. It was one of her favorite sounds. Weariness melted from her bones, giving a little more energy to her steps. Almost there.

She was home.

Biting back her smile, Korra slid the key into the lock, turning it slowly. The door opened without a sound and Korra quietly put her bag down next to the door. The little lamp on the table cast a soft, warm glow in the little foyer. From the next room, the four-year-old giggled again.

"No more. No more!"

"Okay, no more," Mako said.

There is a pause, barely long enough to draw a proper breath.

"Again, Daddy. Again!"

Mako's laugh is deeper than Katara's, but it gives her the same warm feeling. "I'm gonna get you…"

Hanging her parka up on the coat rack, Korra crept down the hall, peeking around the corner. Mako sat on the couch, Katara in his lap, grinning at her as he slowly moved his wiggling fingers closer to her belly. He was still several inches away when Katara started giggling uncontrollably. Korra's heart gave a squishy thump inside her chest.

"And what is going on here?" Korra demanded, crossing her arms as she stepped into the living room. "I think Daddy let someone stay up past their bedtime."

Katara squealed and jumped down from Mako's lap, her tiny feet pattering on the wooden floor. Korra dropped to her knees, letting the toddler tackle her. They fell back slowly, Katara cradled tightly in her arms. The chubby little fingers dug into her neck.

"Mommy, missed you," Korra said, peppering Katara's face with kisses. Her daughter smelled of tap water and baby shampoo and sugar. Katara giggled again, right next to her ear, loud and bright and beautiful.

Mako cleared his throat. He stood right above them, his hand extended to Korra. Keeping hold of Katara with one arm, Korra got up.

"My turn," Mako said.

"I missed you too." Wrapping her free arm around his waist, Korra kissed him lightly.

"Welcome home."

"Mommy," Katara said, patting her cheek. "Mommy, we went to the beach today and I got some pretty seashells and Daddy took me into the deep water and there were fishes. Itty bitty ones. Daddy says they're too small to eat." Katara took a breath. "And then Aunt Pema and Ikki and Rohan came and Rohan pushed me."

Korra suppressed a grin. "Did he now? And what did Aunt Pema do."

"She yelled at him," Katara said.

"Well good for her," Korra said. "Now I won't have to." She raised an eyebrow at Mako, who just shook his head.

"Alright, you," he said, taking Katara from Korra. "Mommy's home. It's time for you to go to bed. Give her a kiss."

Korra leaned forward, offering her cheek for Katara's sloppy kiss before Mako took her down the hall to her room. She was definitely taking a day off tomorrow.


	18. Statue

"It's staring at me, Mako," Korra said.

"What is?"

"That statue."

Mako smiled and just held his girlfriend's hand all the tighter.

Korra had never liked the statue. She said it gave her the creeps. If you looked really hard at it, you could still see a slightly dark line right across the top lip where someone—Mako suspected Korra, though she refused to confirm it verbally—had drawn a mustache on the giant statue.

Korra sighed. "Why are we here where she can watch our every move?"

"Because it's a lovely day and it's nice to get outside and you wanted to get away from Tenzin."

All of these were true. They were in the middle of spring. Some large flower Mako didn't recognize was in bloom, a vibrant jolt of color against the otherwise deep green foliage. He could feel summer just around the corner as the sun beat down on his face.

Today was a good day.

Korra must have felt it too, because she'd pulled out the old blue tank top. The one that matched the sky and her eyes.

His heart thump-thumped inside his chest and he reminded himself to breath.

But, spirits, she was gorgeous.

He pulled her beneath the tree, cooler air washing over his skin as they retreated into the shade.

Korra wrapped her arms around his neck, grinning up at him. "So…what are we doing here?"

"Do you recognize the spot?"

"Of course I do." Korra waggled her eyes brows at him. "You drooled in my hair."

"What! I did not?" Mako's face heated up, despite the fact that he knew Korra was teasing. Chuckling, he pressed his lips to hers. Korra did not return the kiss, however.

"Mako," she whined. "It's still watching us."

"She's probably worried you'll take more paint to her face."

"I might. It would definitely improve things."

Sighing, Mako pulled away from Korra, guiding her to the other side of the tree.

"Better?"

"Oh yes, this spot is much better."

Something cold seized his stomach as she crossed her arms and looked at him expectantly, her gaze reminding him exactly who the idiot was.

"Do you ever think about how long ago that was, Korra?"

The cocky smile faded to something softer. "Yeah."

"Five years. Can you believe that?" There were days he still couldn't. After everything they'd been through. After everything he'd seen her go through and everything that had tried to tear them apart, here they were.

"Five years is a long time." She relaxed, her arms hanging loosely at her sides. The wind sang through the leaves, playing with the ends of her hair. She's worn it down today. It was just long enough now that she could pull it back when she wanted to, but he liked the way the dark hair framed her face and made her eyes stand out.

Off to the left, a small child started crying, capturing Korra's attention. She watched as the mother picked the child up, brushing dusty knees and hugging him. Mako watched Korra, smiling. She couldn't see it because her back was to the statue, but he could. They looked very much the same in that moment. The pensive, focused face. The strong set of the shoulders. But she breathed and the stone did not and that made her infinitely better than any stone statue.

"Korra?"

"Yeah?"

"I want more."

Korra's gaze snapped back to him, her breath catching. "What?"

Mako nearly laughed at the look on her face. Like she'd been expecting a right hook and he'd thrown a left. He knew she'd been expecting this. They'd talked about it too often, made too many plans already—hell, they'd designed the damn necklace together. She knew this was coming.

"Five years isn't enough," he said, he reached for her hand. Sliding his free hand into his pocket, he knelt. "Five years and you still drive me crazy. Five years and I still don't want to imagine my life without you. Five years and I never stopped loving you…"

"I never stopped loving you either," Korra said, around choking breath.

"Don't interrupt, it's rude, Korra."

Korra bit her lip and looked away, blinking rapidly. Her shoulders shook a little, but when she looked back at him, laughter danced in her eyes.

"I know you're the Avatar and I'm just an idiot."

Korra actually laughed at that.

"But you're still here," he said. "So that means I must be your idiot. I know it's going to be hard. I know there are things about your job that I will never fully understand. But I don't care. I've never cared. I want to be there through all of it. To me, you'll always just be Korra. You will always be the most incredible, selfless, amazing person I've ever met. I'm yours, today and every day after that."

Taking a deep breath, Mako pulled the necklace out of his pocket. In almost every way it was the traditional Water Tribe betrothal necklace, except for the design on the stone. This was where they'd broken with tradition. Instead of waves or other typical Water Tribe motifs, there was a sun and a moon, the rays and curves of each intertwined. She'd helped him sketch out the design, though she'd never seen the finished product.

"I guess, what I'm saying is, Korra will you officially allow me to be your forever boy?"

Mako braced himself.

Only seconds later Korra launched herself at him, falling to her knees, wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek, his jaw, his nose as they tumbled to the ground.

"Yes," she whispered in his ear.

Somewhere there were children laughing and other couples enjoying the sunshine and probably a cop who would come fuss at them in a minute. Mako didn't care about them though. His whole world was Korra. Right now, in this moment, he honestly believed they could have forever.

There, just out of sight of monolith that had been a poor substitute, they kissed and he helped her fasten the necklace around her neck. Here was flesh and blood—everything that cold stone could never capture wrapped into one person.

Never again, he vowed. Never again would that statue be the closest thing he had to her.


	19. Balance

His life had been so balanced for the last three years.

Then Korra walked back in and turned everything upside down. Again.

And now, when things were starting to settle again—things between them at least—now everything was wrecked again with just a few words.

"I have to close it from the inside," Korra said, staring at the spirit portal.

The three friends looked at each other.

"But," Bolin said. "You'll be trapped."

Shoulders sagging, Korra turned to them. "I know."

Mako listened to them argue. Asami's voice, high and fast paced. Bolin trying to talk over her, gesturing wildly. But Mako had no words. There was nothing Mako could think to say. She was leaving again. Leaving him to go back to his life.

"Guys!" Korra said, her voice brittle. "Please, stop. This is the only way, you know it's the only way."

"Korra, I'm not going to accept that," Bolin said. "We'll never see you again. The world needs the Avatar. And—and we need you." Tears were running down his brother's face.

"Guys, enough." Mako swallowed, as much as he didn't want to admit it, he knew she was right. They were going to lose her again. "Korra's right."

Silence fell over them. The four friends stood motionless, everyone looking at the ground.

"So, this is good-bye," Korra said. She reached for Asami, hugging her quickly. Then turned to Bolin. The earthbender enveloped her in his arms, still crying and whispered something about the Fire Ferrets. Mako felt the knife in his gut twist even further. If he had known—If he had had even an inkling—but it was too late for that now.

"It'll be okay, Bo," Korra said. "Besides, we can still keep in touch. Jinora's pretty good at getting in and out of the Spirit World now."

"It won't be the same," Asami said. She was crying now too. She hugged Korra one last time, then grabbed Bolin's arm, hauling him away with a sharp look at Mako.

Korra looked up at Mako, the glow from the Southern Portal surrounding her. Turning her into some other creature entirely.

"Tell my parents that I love them," Korra said, her voice cracking. She pinched the bridge of her nose, looking up at the sky. When she met his eyes again, there were no tears there.

"I will," Mako said. "Will you close the Northern Portal first?"

"Yeah," Korra said. "And then...promise me—promise me you'll make sure Jinora tells me everything. I want to know it all, Mako. Everything about how you guys are doing."

Mako nodded.

This was it. This was where he held her for the last time. This was where he told her that he still felt the same, even after three years—he knew it wouldn't be enough to make her stay, but this was his last chance.

And, as he looked down at Korra, he realized he couldn't do it.

"Don't go," he said. "Not yet." Mako spun, running to his brother. Grabbing Bolin he engulfed him in a hug, clutching his baby brother tightly. Bolin patted his back awkwardly.

"Um, it'll be okay..."

"I love you, baby bro."

Bolin stiffened. "Mako, you can't..."

"I have to, Bolin," Mako said, pulling back. He rested his hand on his brother's shoulders. "Take care of yourself, Bolin. Tell Korra's parents she loves them and she wishes there was another way. And try not to screw things up with Opal again, okay?"

Bolin gaped at him for a moment, then his mouth hardened into a grim line. He gripped Mako's shoulder. "I love you too, Mako." They hugged again, Bolin's fingers digging into Mako's jacket so tightly he could feel it through all his layers.

Bolin let him go, wiping his eyes and offering his best smile. "Guess I'll have to learn how to get into the Spirit World on my own now, won't I?"

"Guess so," Mako said. "Good-bye, Bolin. Asami, take care of yourself."

Ice crunched beneath him as he turned.

Korra watched him with wide eyes. She didn't move as he approached.

"Mako..." she said, her voice breathy. "You can't...I can't ask you to..."

"Do you want me to go back?"

Korra shook her head. "No."

"Then I guess I'm going with you."

She gasped, surging towards him, arms going around his neck, tears hot against his skin despite the freezing temperature.

"I love you," she said.

"I know," Mako said. "I love you too."

There was no time for anything more. No more time for good-byes. Korra took his hand and led him into the Spirit World. He walked away from it all. Everything he'd built for himself in Republic City, everyone he'd ever known. Of all of them, Bolin was the only one he was truly sorry to leave behind.

Maybe that was the way it was meant to be. It was because of her that he had that life. If he had never met her, if Korra had never walked into that arena, he would have spent his whole life as a self-absorbed pro-bender, concerned with only where his next bit of cash was coming from. She'd opened the world to him.

He knew one thing though, none of that was worth losing Korra. He'd take a hundred lifetimes of chaos with her over one lifetime of balance.

There was a funny kind of symmetry in her being the person he left it all behind for.

* * *

><p><strong>Don't ask. I honestly don't know. I just came up with this idea and kind tried to tie into where they are now even though the Spirit Portals aren't even part of the current story arc. I guess I hypothesized that shutting them off might cease the flow of negative energy that Varrick discovered (this was written a couple of weeks before we saw the Colossus). <strong>

**And on second though, I guess she would just meditate into the spirit world and close them from there. Ah well, I liked the idea.**


	20. That Wasn't Supposed to Happen

Korra had never been a big fan of fancy events.

Oh, sure, they were fun and all, but if she was going to have people gawking at her, she'd much rather be doing something. Like pro-bending. She'd loved having the crowd then.

Right now, they were a bit stifling though.

But she was the Avatar and that meant people expected certain things from her.

Like a big, fancy wedding.

Korra had to admit, the people Asami recommended had done a wonderful job of melding Southern Water Tribe tradition with some of the more modern, Republic City customs that had cropped up.

Everything was perfect.

It just was on a much grander scale than either of them had wanted.

"I'm done," Korra said, plopping down next to Mako. "Do you think we could sneak out now?"

"Only if we want out married life to be cut short by that wedding planner," he replied, squeezing her hand. "I believe we're still supposed to cut the cake."

Korra let out an exasperated sigh as she leaned back and staring up at the twinkling lights, above them. Kicking off her shoes, she leaned into Mako. He smelled different today, probably work of the ever generous King Wu. It wasn't bad, but he didn't smell like Mako.

"In my next life, I am eloping," she said.

Mako laughed. "That list gets longer and longer. Are you sure you're going to remember all that?"

"Hmm," Korra sighed. "You're right. Maybe I should keep a diary or something. Write myself a long letter with all the wisdom I've gained over my long life."

"I like the sound of that."

"Me writing a long letter?"

Mako grabbed her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. "You living a long life." He leaned in, pressing his lips to hers.

Somewhere, someone hooted. The cheer grew louder, causing them to break apart, blushing furiously. Korra took a deep breath and glared at the loudest perpetrator. She'd recognized that cheer anywhere.

Bolin didn't even have the decency to look abashed. Korra regretted not giving him hell at his wedding several months earlier.

"Avatar Korra?" A wiry, spare man with over-large glasses hovered just behind them, He looked at his watch. "It's time to cut the cake."

"And then we're done."

"Well..."

"It wasn't a question," Korra said, smiling sweetly.

The wedding planner glared at her. Korra ignored him, leaning down to slip her shoes back on. Mako reached for the jacket he'd discarded over the back of his chair, but Korra shook her head. She liked him with his shirt sleeves rolled up. When Korra looked back up the wedding planner was still there.

"Anything else?" She met his gaze with her most serious Avatar stare.

"No, Avatar Korra."

"I didn't think so."

The planner sauntered off, adjusting his glasses and putting his nose in the air.

"Next time, let's sacrifice quality for a better personality."

"He did do a very good job."

"Of getting on my nerves."

Hand in hand, they made their way to the center of the room.

The cake was huge. The frosting thick and creamy looking. Whoever made it, had covered it in sparkling sugar. The whole thing was a masterpiece of layer upon layer of frilly confection. Not exactly her style, but it did look delicious as the two servers wheeled it towards them.

"That cake had better taste as good as it looks," Korra whispered to Mako.

"It's made of sugar, Korra. I'm pretty sure you're guaranteed to like it."

Korra made a face. Growing up in the South Pole, had given Korra a notorious sweet tooth along with her muscular figure.

The cake was almost to them when Korra heard something snap. Seven layers of flour, milk, eggs and sugar tilted towards them, crashing to the ground as everyone leapt out of the way. Frosting spattered everywhere, covering all who were close in blobs of white and blue.

Everyone froze, their eyes going to Korra.

"Well," she said. "That wasn't supposed to happen." And then she burst into giggles.


	21. You're My Forever Girl

Mako knew he should be asleep.

He didn't think anyone in the house had gotten any sleep last night. Not him and especially not Korra. She, at least, had given into exhaustion hours ago. She deserved it. She'd been amazing.

Mako wasn't ready to sleep.

Sleeping meant he would have to put the baby down and he didn't want to do that just yet. He could spend the rest of his life holding his daughter. He was sure of that.

Katara was asleep too. Her eyes—the same color as his—were scrunched closed, the lashes fuzzy lines across her dark skin. Thick chocolate hair—just like her mother's—already covered her head. Never in his life had Mako seen anything so perfect.

So he sat there, braced against the headboard, occasionally reaching out to stroke his wife's hair. It was nice after the chaos of the last several hours. Someone probably kept track, but Mako stopped counting somewhere around the sixth hour. He'd honestly started to feel like it would never be over. That Korra would be in pain forever.

And then Katara had arrived.

Even after all that, they hadn't gotten much time to themselves. The healers had cleaned up both Korra and the baby and given them a few minutes alone to gawk over their tiny daughter. For a few minutes it was only three of them. It wasn't much time, but Korra got the chance to catch her breath before the healers came back and did a quick examination.

Their daughter proved as loud as her mother during that time. If Katara crying hadn't upset something deep inside him, Mako might have laughed. Soon enough, Korra was allowed to snatch Katara back from the healers and cradle her to her chest, murmuring until the baby quieted. Then healers packed up their things and left.

The next thing Mako knew, Senna was cooing over Katara as Tonraq clapped him on the shoulder. That had only been the beginning of the parade of their family. Bolin and Opal, just in a few days go from Republic City, came in shortly after with their two daughters. Naoko had eyed her cousin from her father's arms, thumb in her mouth as she pronounced Katara squishy-looking. Her little sister slept through the whole thing in Opal's arms.

Korra was as happy he'd ever seen her, if a bit subdued. Despite the dark circles under them, her eyes sparkled as she carefully handed their daughter to each new family member. Laughing, she told Bolin how Mako had cried harder than Katara the first time he held the baby. Tonraq winked at Mako at the conclusion of that story.

Finally, Senna herded everyone out of the room, saying they could come back in the morning, because she at least wanted to get some sleep.

They were just three again.

Katara yawned, pushing a chubby fist out of her wrappings. Gently, Mako smoothed it open, in awe yet again at the tiny fingers.

"Don't you ever worry about a thing, baby girl," he whispered. He smiled as she gripped his thumb. The kid had a good grip. "Daddy's always going to be right here. You're my forever girl."

An amused chuckle came from beside him. "I thought that was me," Korra said. Wincing, she pushed herself up next to him, leaning against his shoulder. She sighed, reaching out to stroke the fingers curled around his. "Don't worry. I'm not jealous. I'm pretty sure you can have more than one."

Mako pressed a kiss to her temple. "You would know."

Korra smacked him softly. "Hey, none of that."

Katara yawned again, successfully capturing the attention of both her parents.

"She's perfect," Mako said.

"Yeah."

The baby whimpered, her little mouth scrunching up. Korra reached for her. "That's me, I think."

Mako surrendered the baby, mollified by the fact that Korra chose to use him for support instead of the pillows as she fed their daughter. His arm around Korra's shoulders, he leaned his head back.

"You fall asleep like that, you'll regret it in the morning."

"I'll wake up when it's time to put her to bed."

"If you say so," Korra said.

Mako nodded, letting his eyes slide shut to the sound of Korra's hushed voice as she talked to their daughter.

* * *

><p><strong>For those of you wondering, Korra and Mako are in the South Pole right now. There wasn't a chance to get into in this fic, but they decided that they'd prefer to have a few weeks away from the prying eyes of Republic City while they got used to their new little addition, so they went down to the South Pole ahead of time. <strong>

**In my current "canon", this is about five years after they get married. So, six years after the conclusion of the Kuvira thing?**

**I wanted to do something a little different from what I thought everyone else would be doing with this prompt...And I like the result. So here's beautiful little Katara and her incredibly adorable parents.**

**Lemme know what you think!**


	22. Home

Korra wanted to go home.

They were supposed to already be on their way. That had been the plan. Just a quick trip with the two of them. She and Mako would drop in, smile for Wu's cameras, Korra would make a speech, they would hop back on her air bison and fly back home before the twins drove their aunt and uncle and older siblings out of their minds.

The landslide in a nearby Earth Nation village had not been in the plan.

That didn't keep someone from banging on their door earlier that morning and requesting Korra's help. And where Korra went, Mako went.

Though she wasn't entirely sure where he was right now. Within shouting distance probably.

Grunting, Korra helped the other earthbenders in the line shift a mountain of rubble, grit drizzling down on their heads as they moved it out of the village square. Sand stuck to the sweat on her brow. Moving dirt and rocks was all she'd done since before dawn and now the late afternoon sun was beating down on her.

A boy darted towards them, passing a ladle of water among the workers. It wasn't cold, but it was wet and that was all that mattered to Korra at the moment.

"Thank you," she said, fishing a few yuan coins out of her pocket.

The boy took them hungrily, bowing to Korra then scurried off to the next person.

This part of the village had had no casualties so far and they were nearly done. She'd have to go see to some of the wounded soon, just to make sure there were enough healers. Wu had sent some of the best from Ba Sing Se, so Korra had focused on helping evacuate those who'd been trapped in buildings.

Closing her eyes, she knelt, trying to see if she could feel the energy of anyone else trapped. Her senses honed in on Mako immediately, of course, but he was fine. She stretched out her awareness, but she sensed no one in distress at the moment. Korra sighed. This was the last area they needed to evacuate. They could relax for a few minutes at least.

"Take a break, everyone," she said. "We've got all the survivors. We can move on to getting everyone settled for nightfall before we try to clear the rest of this rubble."

Korra retreated to the shade of the building, leaning against it. The wall was still held all the heat it had absorbed in the morning. Closing her eyes, she tried to relax. So much bending had made them tense and achy. Not wanting to get stiff, Korra stood, rolling her shoulders and stretching her arms over her head.

The soft sound of sobs reached her ears. Korra's heart jumped. Had they missed someone? She knelt again, sending her spiritual senses out. She was hit by an intense wave of fear and pain. They were close. She listened again.

There. Sobs coming from around the corner. It sounded like a child.

"Shh, Haruna," the soft voice said. "I'm just gonna go get us something to eat. I'll be back, I promise."

"I want mommy," a much younger voice said.

Korra rounded the corner to find the boy who'd brought them the water comforting a small girl.

She couldn't have been more than five. Tears streaked her little face, which was smudged with dirt. She had messy, black hair and a dress with a ragged, dirty hem. The boy was older, maybe nine or ten. Equally dirty and painfully thin.

The girl saw her first. She gasped, her little green eyes going wide.

The boy turned, pushing the girl—his little sister, probably—behind him. He glared at her, fists coming up in a rudimentary earthbending stance. And despite the fact that his eyes were green and his skin a few shades darker, Korra saw in him another boy with amber eyes and fire in his fists. She didn't have to see the set-up of wooden crates to know that they were all alone. It was written all over his face.

"It's okay," Korra said. "I'm here to help." Holding her hands up, she knelt at the entrance to the alley. "My name is Korra. I'm the Avatar, what's your name?"

The boy shifted, watching her like a wounded animal eyes a predator. "You're the Avatar?"

Korra nodded.

"What did you come to our village for then?"

"I'm a friend of King Wu's. He asked me to help. Can I help you?"

The boy glanced back at his sister. Still tense, he turned to Korra, pulling himself up straight. "No, Ms. Avatar. You can't help us."

"I heard you talking," she said. "I haven't eaten all day either, why don't I have someone bring us some food?"

"I—"

"C'mon, kid," Korra said, brushing off her knees as she stood. "Don't pass up a free meal. Save your money for later."

The boy looked at his younger sister again. He sighed.

"Thank you, Ms. Avatar," he said.

"Just Korra is fine." She smiled at him. "And you are?"

The little girl peeked around her brother, her thumb in her mouth. "I'm Haruna," she said in a breathy, little voice.

"Hello, Haruna," Korra said, bending down a little so she was at the child's level. "It's very nice to meet you. Would you like to come with me?" Korra held her hand out.

Little Haruna's eyes darted between Korra and her brother. "Is she nice?"

"I think so," the boy said. "I'm Takashi and—and I if you try to hurt me or my sister, I'm warning you, I can earthbend."

Korra suppressed a smile. "Avatar's promise, I'm won't let anyone hurt you."

Like a baby flying lemur creeping to the edge of the nest, Haruna came out from behind her brother and took Korra's hand. The two children followed Korra out onto the main street, where Korra found one of Wu's men and asked for some food. Takashi and Haruna dug into the simple meal, a bright smile breaking out on her face as she chewed.

Something inside of Korra melted. Haruna looked as happy as her seven-year-olds did when you gave them a treat. Sitting next to them, Korra ate her own lunch and kept an eye out for her husband. The man she'd spoken with had told her that Mako was helping coordinate the arrival of the supplies.

"Ms. Korra," Haruna said. "Is the Avatar special?" The little girl looked up at her with wide, bright eyes, crumbs sticking to her chin. Without thinking, Korra reached out and brushed them away.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Do you have magic powers?"

Korra chuckled. "I suppose you could say that Haruna."

The little girl took a deep breath. "Can you bring my mommy back?"

Korra's heart squeezed. The day, which had seemed so hot to her before, went cold.

Takashi sighed. "No, Haruna. She can't. Nobody can bring Mom back."

Haruna looked down, but not before Korra caught the glimmer of tears in her eyes.

"What happened to your mom?" Korra asked.

"She got sick," Takashi replied.

"And your dad?"

Takashi's face got very dark. The bitter fire in his eyes intensified. "He never wanted us."

"You mean he's here?" Korra gasped. "He's alive?"

"Maybe," the boy bit out. "I heard he got hurt in the landslide."

"I want my mommy," Haruna said in that wispy voice. And then she started to cry.

Takashi made an exasperated noise. "She's gone, okay, Haruna? Mom's never coming back. She's dead."

"Stop," Korra said.

Takashi looked taken aback. Gently, Korra placed her hand on Haruna's back. The little girl looked up at Korra with tear-filled eyes before she climbed into Korra's lap. Her surprise fading quickly, Korra held the little girl, rocking her slightly as she sobbed. Haruna gave a soft sigh as the sobs stopped and Korra realized she'd cried herself to sleep.

Takashi sat, knees drawn up to his chest, staring at the dirt. He seemed to be ignoring Korra as she sang softly to his sister.

"Ms. Korra?"

"Yes, Takashi?"

"You're friends with the airbenders, right?"

"Yes."

"Do you-do you think they'd take Haruna?"

Korra jerked, her eyes flying to Takashi. "What?" She rubbed Haruna's back as the little girl grumbled, one hand curled around the back of Korra's neck.

"I can take care of myself, but it's hard, taking care of Haruna," he whispered. "Making sure she has enough food. Keeping her safe. I can't always do it and I'm worried about her all the time, but if...if the airbenders took her in, she wouldn't have to sleep on the streets anymore and she'd have enough to eat, right?"

Korra swallowed. "Is she an earthbender like you?"

"Would they not take her if she was?"

Korra wasn't entirely sure; all of the Acolytes at the Air Temple were non-benders.

"I just—maybe the airbenders aren't the best fit if she is, but Takashi, there are other places. I can help you, both of you, if that's what you want."

The boy peeked up at her, the walls falling from his eyes for just a minute.

"First, though, I have to talk with your dad."

The hard look came back. "He won't care," the boy said. His upper lip curled.

Korra took a long slow breath in and out. She hoped the boy was wrong, how could any parent not want their own children? Or allow them to live on the streets? Maybe he just didn't know. Then again, the village only had one large street. An idea stirred lazily in her brain, reminding her of conversations and plans that had happened before she found out she was pregnant with Kat. She didn't say anything to the boy, though.

"Let's find your dad, Takashi. I want to have a word with him."

Holding Haruna made getting up a clumsy affair, but she refused to wake the little girl. If she was asleep, she felt safe and if she felt safe, Korra wasn't going to disturb that. Rubble crunching under her feet, she walked down the street towards the healer's tents. Takashi's footsteps trailed in her wake.

Mako was surprised to who she had in tow. He handed the box in his arms to another worker and crossed quickly to Korra.

"Making new friends?" he asked.

Takashi fiddled with the hem of his stained shirt as he kicked a divot into the ground.

"This," Korra said. "Is Takashi. Takashi, this is my husband, Mako."

Mako stuck his hand out. "Nice to meet you, Takashi."

Takashi jumped, his eyes wide and panicked as they met Mako's. Korra's mood got darker. Mako blinked, glancing at Korra. That was all it took for her to know he'd seen what she'd seen in the alley. Slowly, Mako knelt, his hand still held out.

"It's okay," he said with the exact same patience he used with Umi when she'd set something on fire again. "I'm not going to hurt you. Did Avatar Korra promise to help you?"

Takashi nodded.

Mako smiled. "She likes to do that."

"She's nice," Takashi whispered.

"Yes, she is very nice."

Tentatively, Takashi took Mako's hand. Mako gave it one business like pump and then turned to Korra.

"And who is this?"

In her arm, Haruna stiffened and listed her head, her thumb going back in her mouth.

"It's okay," Korra said. "He's nice too."

"I'm Haruna."

"That's a pretty name," Mako said. "It's nice to meet you, Haruna."

"Are we gonna see my daddy?"

"I'm going to go talk with your daddy, Haruna," Korra said.

"Are daddies like mommies?"

Korra laughed, her eyes sliding to Mako, who grinned. "Sometimes."

The four of them continued on to the healer's tents, where Korra asked Takashi to point out his dad. The man lay back on one of the healer's cots, a look of pain on his face. His arm was bandaged and in a sling. If possible, he was even dirtier than his two children.

Setting Haruna down, she got down in front of Takashi. "Did you see the nice lady that waved at us before we entered the tent?"

The boy nodded.

"Her name is Jinora. She's a friend of mine. I want you to go sit with her while we talk with your father, okay? You can trust her."

"Avatar's promise?"

"Avatar's promise."

Takashi took Haruna's hand. They both stood there, staring up at Korra as she held the tent flap open for them. With a nod, he led his sister away. Korra watched to make sure they got to Jinora okay. The young airbender jumped when the boy came up behind her, but listened intently to him, smiling as he pointed to Korra.

"So what's the plan?" Mako asked.

"We talk to him, get the whole story. Maybe it's just a misunderstanding."

Mako raised an eyebrow.

"I know, I know. I don't think so either, but I don't want to make any assumptions."

The man in question sat up as he saw Korra coming.

"Finally," he said. "These other Water Tribe types have been ignoring me. Isn't there something you can do about the pain? Feels like my arm's been cut off."

Somewhere inside Korra, the healer reared her head. She nearly acted on the impulse to check and see that there was nothing the other healers had missed. Even if it was just pain, she might be able to do something. The look on Takashi's face when Mako held out his hand made her hesitate.

"I'm sorry about your arm," she said. "But that's not what I'm here about." The little voice in her head came back again. "However, if you'd be willing to talk with me for a few minutes, I can see if there's anything I can do about the pain."

"Korra," Mako said softly.

She shot Mako her I-know-what-I'm-doing-look.

Mako walked off. By the time he returned with a basin of water, Korra had the bandages off and had performed a preliminary exam.

"I'm actually here about your children," Korra said, coating her hands with the cool liquid. "Takashi and Haruna."

The man sighed as Korra placed her hands on his arm. His breath stank of strong spirits.

"What about them?"

"Were you aware that their mother had died?"

The man gasped. "Ayame's dead? Nah, I didn't know, she kicked me a while ago."

"This isn't a large village, surely you knew."

Mako snorted. "Please, Korra, he probably doesn't know what day of the week it is."

"It's Thursday."

"It's Tuesday," Mako spat.

"I was close," the man said. He squinted at Korra. "Do I know you, the name sounds familiar."

"Anyways," Korra said, with another look at Mako. "Did you know you're children have been living on the streets for—" She hadn't thought to ask Takashi how long he'd been taking care of Haruna on his own. "For a while now?"

The man shrugged.

"Didn't want them in the first place," he said. "Besides, I'm not much better off myself. If they're still alive, that boy must be doing a pretty decent job."

Mako inhaled sharply. "They are your children," he said. "You have a responsibility to take care of them."

"They were Ayame's children, she wanted them. She kicked me out."

"Because you hit your son," Mako growled.

"Brat annoyed me," the man said. "Always whining."

Water splashed to the ground as Korra placed a hand on her husband's chest, halting him midstep. Swallowing, he backed away again. She could practically hear his teeth grinding.

"Sir, is there anyone else? Did you or your wife have any other family? Anyone else who would be willing to take care of them?"

"Not that I know of," the man said, watching Mako warily. "Wait a second...you're White Lotus." He snapped the fingers of his good hand. "Water Tribe. You're the Avatar." His eyes narrowed. "Well, if the Avatar says so, I might be persuaded to look after the kids. For—"

Mako lunged, grabbing the man's shirt. "You fucking piece of shit," he said, pulling the man up so that his feet dangled just above the ground. "Your daughter can't be more than five and the only reason you're interested is because you think you can get something out of it?"

The man sneered. "I suppose you think you could do a better job? I'm sure it's really easy for you with your cushy White Lotus job, flying around the world kissing up to the Avatar..."

Mako shook the man. "Shut up," Mako said. "I could and would do a better job than you, because I understand what a privilege it is to have kids. If you had a decent bone in your body, you'd get that too."

"Not all of us a meant to be parents, Ayame knew that when she married me."

Mako let the man go. The man collapsed on the bed with a groan.

"Then you shouldn't have married her," Mako said. He turned to Korra "Are we done here?"

"Yeah," Korra said. "Excuse me," she called to a passing healer. "This man seems to have been treated, I'm sure someone else could use this bed."

"But my arm..."

"I'm afraid there's nothing else to be done about your arm, sir. You'll just have to wait for it to heal on its own."

Korra spun on her heel, striding out the tent, grabbing her husband and dragging him out with her.

Haruna and Takashi sat on the ground with Jinora, chatting happily with the airbender.

The little girl caught sight of Korra, scrambling to her feet and drawing her brother's attention to them. Her bare feet kicked up clouds of dust as she ran over to Korra, wrapping her arms around Korra's knees and grinning up at her.

"I like Jinora," she said.

"Me too," Korra replied, smoothing the girl's messy hair out of her face.

Takashi took his time coming over. "I was right. He doesn't want us."

"Takashi, I'm so sorry. I had to try though," she said.

Haruna's little mouth puckered. "Why doesn't my daddy want us? Mommy wanted us."

"Not all daddies are good daddies," Korra said. The idea inside of her stretched again.

"But you still know people," Takashi insisted. "You can still help us?"

"Of course I can help you, Takashi."

"Can you find us a new mommy and daddy?" Haruna asked.

Mako gripped Korra's shoulder. One look between them was enough for her to know they agreed. Korra pried Haruna from her knees. Taking the little girl's hand, she held her other hand out to Takashi.

"What would you think about coming home with me and Mako?" she asked. Oh, Kat was going to love that one. The rest of the world was going to think they were crazy, but they'd always wanted to adopt. They just lost sight of that with four kids demanding their attention.

Takashi blinked, his mouth falling open. "But—but you're the Avatar."

Before Korra could reply, Haruna cut in, "You want to be my new mommy?"

"Yes."

"And Mako would be my daddy?"

Mako knelt in front of the little girl. "If you want me to."

The little girl bit her lip, looking up at Korra again. "Is Mako a good daddy?"

Korra chuckled. "He's a very good daddy. Avatar's promise."

"I like them, Takashi. Can we, please?"

Takashi was still gaping at them. "Y-You really want to?"

"Of course we do," Mako said. "We're going to take care of you now, Takashi. You won't have worry ever again."

The boys eyes teared up and he flung himself at Mako, wrapping his arms around Mako's neck. Mako held him tightly, rubbing his back until he cried himself out.

# # #

In the end, the kids took it better than Mako and Korra had expected. She'd managed to find a radio and tell Bolin so everyone had some warning.

Takashi clung to one of Korra's arms. Haruna had planted herself between Korra and Mako, holding both of their hands as the four of them approach a house that is once again too small.

The door flew open.

"Mom! Dad!" Kat cried, racing down the steps and throwing her arms around first her father and then her mother. "I'm so glad you're back."

"Hmm," Mako said. "Are the twins being that problematic?"

"I'm going to kill them," Katara said, blowing her bangs out her eyes. "Oh hello, is this Haruna? And Takashi?"

Both children attemped to hide behind Korra at the same time. Korra tried to coax them out from behind her, but before she could do so, their other three children came running out the door, screaming their names. They skidded to a stop a few feet from Korra and Mako, eyeing the two new children suspiciously.

San looked between Haruna and Takashi. "Yes," he said, pumping his fist in the air. "I am no longer the only boy." He stuck his hand out to the younger boy—Takashi was eight, almost a year younger than San. Takashi took a tentative step forward, still trying to stay behind Korra as he shook San's hand.

Korra and Mako laughed.

"Takashi, Haruna, meet you new siblings." Korra introduced each of them, pointing first to Katara, then San and finally Umi and Kanna.

The twins looked at each other, a silent conversation passing between them.

"Are you benders?" Umi asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked between Takashi and Haruna.

"Umi, don't be rude," Katara scolded.

"Well, are they?"

"Our mom—our other mom taught us to earthbend," Takashi said, sticking his chest out.

The twins looked at each other and nodded, they zeroed in on Haruna, who was sucking on her thumb.

"You can earthbend?" Kanna asked.

"Yes…"

"Not you, you're a boy," Umi said. "Her."

Haruna nodded. "Not much."

"That's okay," Umi said. "So are we. But Mom and Dad are the best teachers. You can be on our probending team."

"What's probending?"

Umi and Kanna's eyes went wide. As one they darted forward, grabbing both her hands.

"You don't know about probending?" Kanna asked, pulling the little girl into the house.

"It's the best thing ever," Umi said.

San shook his head. "Girls are weird," he said.

Korra covered her mouth, giving into the urge to laugh for a few seconds before she chased after the kids, putting a hand on each twins' head and turning them back around.

"How about dinner first?" she asked.

"Yes," Mako agreed. "I don't know about you kids, but I am starving."

He picked up Haruna and put his arm around Takashi. "Welcome to your new home guys."

* * *

><p><strong>Well...this happened. I'm probably as shocked as Mako and Korra are that they ended up with six kids. They were planning to stop at three, but then three ended up being four, because twins. <strong>

**Anyways, I kind of feel like adopting would definitely have been on the table at some point in their relationship (fic coming soon), for various reasons, but the biggest one being Mako's history. So it originally part of their plan, but then they ended up with four kids and were like, maybe that's enough. But obviously, these two goobers couldn't help themselves in this one. Apparently I think they're both super heroes...**


	23. Before She Sleeps

Most nights, Korra was the last one to fall asleep. Her mind took so long to stop spinning.

She didn't mind though.

It meant she got to watch Mako sleep.

When she'd first met him, he'd seemed so tough and intense. A name she heard over the radio. A poster in the paper. A rough brush off in the arena.

Even after they became teammates, Mako kept his tough shell tightly closed. Unlike his open book of a brother, Mako played everything tight-lipped, keeping his conversations about training. When he finally opened up, Korra understood why. Mako's trust came at a very high price. If you were one of his people, there was nowhere he wouldn't do for you, but if not? At that point at least, he couldn't have cared less about you.

Somehow, Korra was lucky enough to become one of his people.

Her husband had changed so much since she'd first met him. He was more open now, even friendly with people he barely knew. Part of that came with being married to her. Being the Avatar meant you met a lot of people. And meeting a lot of people was much easier when they weren't all pissed off at your aloofness.

The weight of his past had faded from his demeanor somewhat—Korra liked to think she'd loosened him up considerably—but these moments were that he truly seemed free of care. He was so peaceful when he slept, his face almost became boyish.

Smiling, Korra shifted, pulling the blankets up over her shoulder. Falling asleep might be difficult some nights, but at least she got a good view.

"Sweetie, are you doing that creeper thing where you stare at me while I sleep?"

Korra jumped, blushing at being caught. Again.

"It's not creepy," she protested. "It's romantic."

Mako opened one eye to give her the look.

Korra flopped onto her back, crossing her arms. "You do the same thing in the morning, Mr. Double Standard. Don't think I don't know."

The bed creaked as Mako rolled over, draping his arm across her waist with a sleepy, "Mmhmm."

Korra sighed, pressing her nose into his hair, which always smelled slightly of hair grease, no matter how much he washed it. She'd grown attached to like the thick scent.

"Can't sleep?"

"Nope."

Mako looked up at her, eyebrows raised. "Bad dreams?"

"Nah. Just awake. Go back to sleep."

"But you're awake." He yawned, his jaw cracking loudly.

"And you insist on being up at the buttcrack of dawn. Go back to sleep."

"Bad habit," he said. "Don't worry, I'll break it eventually."

"Please don't, then we'll never get anywhere on time."

Mako laughed, curling against her like she was a full body pillow. He sighed, his breath ghosting across her shoulder. Korra resisted the urge to shudder. Instead, she ran her fingers through his hair, matching her breathing to his as it slowed. Eventually, she drifted off, cheek pressed against his hair. The last thing that crossed her mind before she slept was that she should move her arm before it fell asleep, but she didn't stay awake long enough to act on the thought.

* * *

><p><strong>SPOILERS BELOW! IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE FINALE DO NOT READ THIS<strong>

**Alright. First let me say that I have seen the finale. I am going to make peace with it eventually, but I am currently sad and bitter. Still, I was working on this beforehand and I wanted to post it anyways, because I still ship them. And since there was not another, "We'll never work out", I'm gonna continue believing that my babies will get back together. So on the con side, I am still unable to disassociate my shipping from my show and it's kind of ruined for me. But on the pros side, I do not have to massively redo any of my current canon and can continue with all my stories as planned. A few minor adjustments here and there, but yeah. Enjoy.**


	24. Moonlight

Most of the time, moonlight made Korra look awake and alive and beautiful. Mako loved watching her on the nights of the full moon, her waterbending was truly something else then. Something that transcended mastery. Otherworldly.

Tonight though, the moonlight on her skin seemed to make the shadows on her skin that much darker. Head bowed and shoulders slumped she sat on a rough earthen bench that hadn't been there when they'd climbed into bed that night.

Sighing, Mako trudged through the snow and sat next to her.

"I can't believe you're not cold," he said, draping a thick blanket around her shoulders. The last thing they needed was her getting sick.

Korra didn't seem to notice him, she kept staring up at the moon. Occasionally, she would move the hand on her large, pregnant belly to a new spot. Mako didn't press her. Putting an arm around her, he watched the moon with too.

"Is she acting up again?" he asked.

Korra's lip twitched up into half a smile. "Always." She reached absent-mindedly for his hand, pressing it to where their daughter moved beneath her skin. "At least she doesn't have the hiccups tonight."

She fell silent again.

"Korra, are you sure you're okay?" He rubbed her shoulder, coaxing her until she leaned against him. They both shivered as a cold burst of air circled around them, teasing at the snow beneath their feet. It looked like glitter as it rolled across the patches of moonlight.

"She was the one who started bringing out here at the full moon," Korra said softly. The baby beneath their hands had stilled. For now at least. Pulling his hand into her lap, she turned it palm up and started tracing the lines with her finger. "I remember the first time, I must have been seven, I think. Katara got me out of bed at midnight. I was so excited to be allowed to be up so late. It was like I could feel the moonlight entering my body, feeding me, fueling me. I was so full of energy I thought I might burst into flame." She chuckled. "That would have been funny, a waterbender spontaneously combusting."

"If it was anyone, it would be you," he sighed.

Korra nodded.

A patrolman passed down the street, nodding at Mako and Korra as he went by. Did he know? Of course, he probably wasn't surprised to see people on the streets and out of their house at this late hour. Not tonight. The South Pole was full of waterbenders after all. Korra's own parents were probably out there right now. She said they liked to go out to the tundra occasionally to bend in the full moon.

"It wasn't supposed to happen like this," Korra said, a jerking sob tearing from her throat. "She was supposed to have a long life. And see her great grandchildren and pass peacefully in her sleep—but Jinora and Kai don't even have any kids yet."

"She did have a long life, Korra," Mako said softly. "And it was peaceful." Brushing her hair back, he pressed a kiss to her temple. "I'm glad we came down when we did."

They'd come down here because of the baby. The South Pole provided more privacy for their little family and Korra's mom was down here. Korra hadn't admitted to being nervous, but being with Senna definitely put her at ease. The world could do without the Avatar for a few months while they got used to being a family. Convincing Korra of this had been a daunting task; she'd wanted to wait until the last moment possible. Mako had pointed out—and he was proud of how calmly he'd managed to say this—that it might be better to get there well in advance of her due date. Traveling south was going to be daunting enough without the added worry that she might go into labor on the journey. Reluctantly, Korra agreed, probably more for his sake than her own.

"I can't believe she's gone," Korra said, burying her face in her hands. "She was just here a few days ago and now...She's just gone." She sobbed, whole body heaving.

Mako wrapped his arms around Korra and let her cry.

He couldn't imagine it. His parent's death was the only thing he had to go on. It had been so long ago and he had never really had the chance to properly grieve. His world had been turned upside down that night, and for the next several years had been a whirlwind of keeping himself and Bolin alive.

Katara's death was like losing a parent, he supposed. The old woman had raised Korra, been the only consistent parent his wife was allowed for so many years. Mako had no doubt that Korra loved Senna and Tonraq in a way she loved no one else, but Katara had been so much more than just a teacher.

And if they had delayed coming down here, even for another week, Korra might never have seen Katara alive again. The spirits had been with them in this.

"Ugh," Korra said. "Stupid hormones."

"Not stupid," he said. "You're supposed to cry when someone dies. Even if you're pregnant. Even if you're the Avatar."

"I already miss her so much."

"I know."

Her fingers traveled from his palm to his wrist, brushing over the scar. "Mako, do me a favor, okay? Don't ever die."

He chuckled. "I will do my best, love."

"I'm serious. You are not allowed to leave me alone."

She would never be alone, but Mako knew better than to argue with her. Not when she was hurting like this.

"Okay. We'll both stick around and grow old together and be ridiculously embarrassing to our kids and spoil our grandkids rotten. And then, when you're ready, we'll both die peacefully in our sleep. Does that sound like a good plan?"

"It sounds perfect."

"Are you ready to go back to be now?"

"Wuss," Korra said. She sighed. "Help me up."

Mako stood, extending his hand to Korra. With a grunt, she stood, leaning on him for a brief moment as she waited for her center of gravity to readjust.

"I feel like I'm a freaking planet and this kid is the moon, only she's way out of orbit."

"I think you're beautiful."

"You'd better," she grumbled, letting Mako tuck the blanket more securely around her shoulders.

"Of course I do," Mako said. "Why else would I put up with those cold feet you like to bring into our bed every night."

"Because you know I'd kick your ass if you didn't."

"There is that."

Sighing, Korra took one last look at the moon and followed Mako back inside.

* * *

><p><strong>A little Makorra pregnancy angstfluff for everyone's angst-ridden shipper hearts. Squee!**

**So I've had two days to process the finale. Let's just say I listened to a lot of Taylor Swift (although, I always listened to a lot of Taylor Swift) and finally got around to watching FMA: Brotherhood (you may not know this, but my first fanfic on this site was a fic titled "No More" based on my feelings of the travesty that is the original FMA anime-like, blegh-you're upset about Korra? This was so much worse.). I thoroughly recommend this form of therapy. Especially if you take the time to have a Shake It Off dance party in your kitchen.**

**Okay, now onto serious stuff. I had someone ask me if Korrasami is canon and since I don't think I'll be getting to directly post-finale material for another 10 or 15 chapters, I will address this now.**

**I think Korrasami could be canon. I also think Makorra could be canon. I've yet so see Bryke make a definitive statement, but from what I'm heard from the David's interview of Janet and the information put out by Will Ruzicka, it is my belief that the intention was for this to be open ended ship-wise. I think it was poorly executed, but until I hear otherwise from the creators themselves I'm going to assume this was the intention. Yes, I'm disappointed. Yes, I think it would have made sense for an entire Team Avatar vacation if they were going to go with that. However, it is what it is and I'm going to work with it.**

**As for how the creators see it, I can't speak for them. I do not know what goes on in their head or I would have seen this coming...I mean, I saw a less, um, exuberant ending than I wanted coming. But there was just too much history between Mako and Korra for me to think they wouldn't end up together. **

**And this gets into fan fiction and how I can ship Makorra and how I would still ship Makorra even if Korrasami was announced as endgame.**

**It really is simple. Fan fiction is all about possibility. Do you want to know what would happen if a character made a different choice? Write a fanfic. Want to explore a scene that you thought should happen? Write a fanfic. Need to make sense out of something that happened? Write a fanfic. Want to see what would happen if two people started a relationship? Write a fanfic. Fanfic is all about possibility. Shaping the material that you've watched/read into something else. **

**You cannot deny that Makorra happened. After Book 2, some things are open to interpretation...but then so are the Korrasami moments. I feel no guilt in reading these moments as friendship moments because I would have no problem with a Korrasami writer viewing the moments that I squealed over as friendship moments. Because you know what, looking at Mako and Korra through books 3 and 4, it could have been about two people learning and being able to work together as friends. I believe that you can have strong friendships with both genders. Being close friends with someone of the opposite gender can lead to certain assumptions, but that doesn't mean that they are true. At the same time, I don't believe that deep, personal friendships with the same gender have to be read as homosexual every time. Can it be read that way? Yes. But it can also be read as close friendship. I have friends that if they said, "I need you" I would drop everything for (well, one friend, unfortunately the other person that fits this list is in another country right now, so I can't afford to go see her like that). I have girl friends that I have held hands with, because holding hands is nice. I have girl friends that I was so close to we considered each other family. My sexuality has never been challenged by these friendships. And this is the lens that I view Korra and Asami's relationship through. Because when I see them together, it reminds me of myself and my best friend. **

**I understand why this is a touchy subject, but let the people in charge of canon worry about the politics of a choice. That is what canon is there for. You just worry about the story you want to tell. Tell it to the best of your abilities and the best of your understanding. Do your best to stay true to the characters, but how close you stick to established material is up to you. Feel like the Spirit World trip was just a girl's vacay? Okay. Then write that. Feel like they might have dated for a little before Korra eventually got pulled back to Mako? Okay. Then write that. Feel like deny that anything happened after the Book 1 or 2 or 3 finale? Okay. Then write that.**

**I like to look at this like I'd look at it from the Kataang and Zutara perspective. I am not at all offended by people who like Katara and Zuko together. (granted the fact with Makorra and Korrasami, one is a queer ship so it's a little more delicate). They enjoy it. It makes then happy. Let them be happy. So whether the Makorras are Kataang or Zutara in this equation, it makes up happy, we still see it and we shouldn't feel guilty about that. Don't let anyone guilt you into that. From what I've seen of the general Korrasami fandom, the hate and accusation are coming from a small and toxic group and the majority of the shipdom understands and doesn't blame us for shipping who we want to ship. **

**Okay that's it. If you'd like to leave a review, I will love you forever. **


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